h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well?

I've decided to take part in TV Turnoff Week (22 - 28th of April) to see if I can. I'm one of those people who think they aren't ADDICTED to TV - that they watch only QUALITY entertainment.

To begin with, like me, you might think "but I'll miss all my favourite shows!". Then think again... what actual difference will this make to your life? So, you miss out on half an hour of vegetation - big deal.

I really am interested in this 'Turnoff' idea because I do really enjoy quite a few TV programmes - but I'm intrigued to see just how much of my life I reclaim and how productive I will be without it. Who's with me?

Yes, I already live without TV. I read, listen to music, lurk on H2G2, socialise, write and talk instead.

I think it's more accurate to ask how many people who spend a lot of time watching TV really live their lives.

The only difficulty I run into is that I don't get a lot of references people make to TV shows. Alas. My heart somehow doesn't seem to be breaking. And I have LOADS of time to pursue all sorts of interests. Nobody seems to understand how I manage to find the time for everything. Might just be that I don't spend 2-3 hours a day hooked into mental oblivion.

You are right about the references - it really louses up watching the Simpsons if you dont watch masses of other TV. Last time I saw a full episode of the Simpsons was in 1999 though.

Hello,

Well, I suppose I could do it (I'd miss the Simpsons most of all), but I'd still want a TV, so I could watch movies on DVD.

Yours,
Jake

No.

But on the subject of TV references, I usually only make extremely obscure references that either explain themselves or need to be explained to everyone. My self-made sayings are like that as well.

I find watching TV very relaxing as it requires no effort or concentration. However, I would like to think I watch telly when I have nothing better to do rather than watching it instead of doing something better. Does that make sense?

no... well yeah, actually no. can't do it.

Lived for years without it. Got through the whole of the Gulf War without being able to recognise a picture of Saddam Hussein.

What will you do instead? I listened to a lot of radio, but, as witht he example above, missed out on a lot of the visual keys. It was always very strange to see a picture of someone and realise how very different they were to the image I'd drawn up.

If you do give up for good,please don't become one of those smug people who goes "Oh, I don't watch TV" whenever the topic comes up!

Good luck!

But being one of those people is one of my few pleasures in life!

a smug person called Ben

Could you live without TV ? is becomming passé. I would like to update it with the following

Could you live without your computer ?

Could you live without the internet ???

Could you live without h2g2 ???????

Well, bless you, Deeroop, because you're new and so didn't have to live through the monochrome horror earlier this year that is your third question.

Never again!

Do you mean watching the image projection box in general or just some of the things that can be displayed on it?

At the moment the only tv progs I switch the box on for are ER and the grand prix coverage. When they are not on I can go weeks without watching any tv (broadcasts) but I am not sure I could do without films.

In my case much more time would be liberated by selling my playstation.

Javam *trying to cope with over developed thumb problem*

I lived without TV for 8 months last year - didn't have a problem with it, although I got people to tape Buffy and some films for me

I watch less now than I did before, only the shows I really like, and not even them if I can think of better things to do, I use it mostly to tape old films off.

Well, personally I'm just seeing what happens when I don't watch TV and don't play any videogames.

In reply to Deerdroop, I could live without h2g2 (we all had to... as Cloviscat said - never again!). I COULD live without my computer too, but I find it far too useful to give up, for communications purposes, information, and for work. TV, however, I just stare at to entertain me and inform me.

I don't think I want to give up TV entirely in the long-term, because there are some programmes I really enjoy - and I don't think there's anything wrong with that - but it's revealing finding out just how much I use TV as a time filler instead of doing more, well, INTERESTING and constructive things.

I´d say if you can´t live without TV you got a problem. Like with the Internet and such. But I must admit I find it hard to live for long without listening to the radio.

I wouldn´t also be watching so much TV if I had anything better to do, but I sadly don´t.

Xanatic said ... "if I had anything better to do"

Well, you could write something on your "personal space", for a start!

One thing worth trying is videoing things you'd like to watch for a week, then working out which things you can be bothered to play back.

That really is usually very little of it - I can only ever be bothered to watch about 5 shows if I tape them.