I came across an article by Steve Pavlina about abstinence from watching TV and it is actually something I have personal experience with. When I was 15 I went to a boarding school for one year and it was a very educational experience. We lived in small houses with space enough for 8 boys and girls - or in my case just boys, as I was unfortunate enough to be placed in the only house that was all boys. Although the house had a TV we could use, there were so many social activities that it was hardly ever in use. I lived at the school for one year and saw practically no TV at all. It made me realize a few interesting points about watching television.
The first thing I noticed when I came back from the school was how much TV is used for getting news. Even though I never felt like I was missing news about the world, after all we often heard the news on radio, there was quite a contrast when I started to watch TV again. Now you might think that this is a point in favour of watching TV, as we all want to be up to date on what happens in the world, but the trouble is that the extra news in TV was all the news that we do not need in the first place! It was news like what was happening in the popular TV-shows, it was news like a story about the latest celebrity “scandal”, and it was news about the latest results in sports and so on and so on. The difference between the short news-stories we heard in the radio and what you get from watching TV is exactly the news about all the stuff that do not really matter. In other words I learned that you do not need to spend a lot of time on news to keep yourself updated about the world, it only feels that way because you are used to the kind of fluff-filled news you find on TV instead of the concise news you can find in other places (Here in Denmark we are lucky enough to get quality news from the state-financed radio channels). So consider this a productivity tip: you can actually spend very little time on news without loosing track of important changes in society.
Another thing I noticed was the lack of social interaction when you spend more time watching TV. Watching TV is really a rather poor substitute for real interaction with real people. Even though I am sure that your brain feels like it is a kind of social interaction to watch a soap opera or reality show, I am also sure that the extremely passive “fly on the wall” way of interaction is vastly inferior to the real thing with regard to learning life skills and social acuity. Watching TV can be pretty seductive though and when you are used to watching a lot of TV you will not notice how often you will just watch some TV when you could have gotten a much better experience by taking the initiative to meet with friends or spend real quality time with your family. The ease with which we can get our needs at least partly filled by turning on the TV means that you should always try to think of reasons not to watch TV. Otherwise you will probably be tempted to go the easy route when you should have chosen the most rewarding route.
Thirdly I learned that I can easily live without a TV. This might not seem like a big thing to you but I bet that if I threatened to take away all your TV-sets you would probably be a bit concerned about how it would affect your life. I have no such concerns, if I feel that I watch too much TV I just stop watching it. It is like a switch I have that can be either on or off but I have no preference for either state except for what serves me best in my current situation. When I talk to people about living without a TV they get this look on their face like it would be a major decision to do so and often they are not sure they could actually go through with it. Currently I only watch TV when I am at my girlfriends place and never when I am at home in my house. This is very beneficial to me as when I am at home I often have a lot of work to do and it really helps that I do not even have the slightest urge to distract myself by watching TV.
Living without a TV-set is something I would warmly recommend you to try out if you have the possibility. You might need to persuade other users of your TV-set that this is a good thing but if you manage to do so, you have even more of a reason to ditch TV as you can then make it a group effort where watching TV is replaced by doing more meaningful activities together. It is true that some of what is shown on TV is really quality stuff that is educational and rewarding but if you start by experiencing that you can easily live without a TV it becomes much easier to later add in your favourite show without getting seduced into wasting a lot of time watching all the other stuff. The only real disadvantage I have found to living without a TV-set is that you can not always participate with others in their discussions about the latest shows - it is however a small price to pay for all the extra time you will get by not watching TV.
Statistics show that the average American watches more than 4 hours a day of television, this becomes 1460 hours a year or nearly 9 weeks! Just imagine what you could do with all that extra time in your life : you could work on an idea for a business to start, you could spend quality time with your family and friends, you could visit friends or family members you have not seen in a long time, you could go on an intensive training program to lose weight and build muscle so your looks are vastly improved and your self esteem skyrockets, or one of a thousand other worthwhile endeavours that are possible in 9 weeks or less. The choice is yours but I really hope that I have inspired you to at least try what it feels like to no watch any TV, perhaps just for a month or two, you can always extend the period if you get hooked 
Great thoughts here! I noticed for me, when I gave up watching (yes, I’m admitting it) Friends re-runs, I got so nervous as that time approached and I knew I wouldn’t have that crutch. It required that my husband and I sit down at dinner and TALK. It sounds fairly obvious that it’s a better choice. But that’s how tv watching becomes so insidious! Anyway, I’m happy to say that I no longer even have television, and I don’t miss it. Besides, someone gave me West Wing on DVD. So I can still get my fix! Thanks for your post!
Comment by Christine Kane — June 22, 2006 #
It’s difficult for us to kick the habit of TV, but like yourself I spent a year away from it and it change my whole opinion of the idiot box. I do love being entertained and I do love moving pictures enough to still want to watch VIDEO, but the television just isn’t the best medium to present it in.
Comment by Fedquip — June 23, 2006 #
Thanks for this. I am always telling people to turn off their TV. The kids still watch some, but even they have realised the value in playing and reading! And when could I read great blog sites like this if I spent all my time in front of the box?
You speak a lot of sense Alex!
Comment by Roarke — June 23, 2006 #
I have lived happily and very productively without TV for 40 years now. Many people are surprised by the range of skills that I have developed by not wasting time in life, and I have been able to be of service to many. I would find living with a TV unendurable. It is like an idiot box. Although some programs are doubtlessly excellent, I have no time to sift through listings to locate them. When programs become available on the internet by choice, I may watch a select few, but the quality and intellectual depth must be there.
Comment by eyeswideopen — June 24, 2006 #
I have not been watching TV for 6 years now and I am Ok, because I watch new cool movies in movie theatres, without any ads, and there is only a few shows on TV worth watching (i.e. Lost) and you can download them from the internet (i.e. iTunes) or rent DVDs, no ads again. All the best clips from shows like SouthPark or Family Guy are posted on sites like taytv.com, youtube.com and metacafe.com etc, so you basically watch cream of the crop without any extra non-important stuff. I spend only about an hour a day watching “TV” this way and I am happy, because I can spend the reast of my time productively. This fits me especially because I am a student and don’t have several hours for TV.
Comment by Val — June 24, 2006 #
I just came across a quote by Groucho Marx that complements my article quite well :
“I find television very educational. Every time someone switches it on I go into another room and read a good book.”
Alex
Comment by alexscheelmeyer — June 26, 2006 #
I never watch TV.
But there is an arguement to learn another language it’s great watching programs without the subtitles in that language to help get fully absorbed and used to hearing the words.
Where would you then suggest people put their focus on to really achieve their goals?
Comment by Ranko Magami aka Shark — November 20, 2006 #
Ranko, like the Groucho Marx quote indicate, I generally find that books are of a higher quality than TV. Usually the author is either an expert on the subject or is extremely passionate about it - and that tends to translate into quality material. So as a trivial advice, I would say read more books.
Much have been written and said about achieving goals but if you learn about the lives of those succesful before you, you will find that they achieved their goals in very different ways. So do not think that there is one true way of achieving goals.
In my opinion you should focus on learning about life in general, ignite your childhood curiosity and learn about the world - when you become an expert on how the world behaves, many opportunities will present themselves and your goals will be achieved with little effort.
Alex
Comment by alexscheelmeyer — November 20, 2006 #
I feel validated by your blog… I quit TV nearly three years ago and have not missed the dysfunctional families, shouting, hurting and lack of kindness. I do miss the FI, but life is great with time to read and enjoy the space within my mind.
Life without TV is really living.
Ria
Comment by Ria — December 18, 2007 #