‘So, What Are You Going to Do – Read or Something?’

 

When we moved to the country 22 years ago, we had made up our minds to avoid TV.  Unfortunately, this was during the Bush/Gore election controversy and we finally gave up and got a satellite system.

We haven’t watched much for the last several years, and today, I finally called and canceled the service.

After being congratulated on being a customer for 22 years, I was asked how I could be “served.” When I said that I wanted to cancel the service, the question was:

“So, what are you going to do — read or something?”

Yep!

Published in Entertainment
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 18 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    That’s funny and sad at the same time.

    • #1
  2. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Yes! I gave away my TV six years ago, and have found it to be a good decision. I get my news from a variety of internet sources and, perhaps best of all, I miss those interminable commercials and slanted news reports/commentary/analysis. I was moved to make the choice while watching my favorite, PGA Golf, when I realized that there was much more time devoted to commercials and chatter than to actual golf.

    I find that MLB Baseball and Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime fills my need for sports viewing. 

    • #2
  3. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    What really annoys me is the ubiquitous televisions in waiting areas and now even at self serve gas pumps.  I rarely use it anymore but this device actually works.  It might be great for CNN at the airport.   I’m flying next week for t( first time since COVID.  Hmmm.

    TV B Gone

    • #3
  4. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Seems to me that most people who say “I don’t watch TV” just mean they aren’t watching ABC/CBS/NBC/whatever, but they still have what amounts to a “TV screen” that they just watch other things on.  But it’s still TV, really.

    If you’re watching Amazon/Netflix/etc on a screen, that’s really still “TV”.

    • #4
  5. Al French Moderator
    Al French
    @AlFrench

    I cancelled my TV service about 4 months ago. I seldom watched it, but kept it when my daughter lived here, but she moved out. I kept the TV in case a visiting child or grandchild wants to watch Netflix. It hasn’t been turned on yet.

    • #5
  6. WillowSpring Member
    WillowSpring
    @WillowSpring

    We have Amazon Prime for the delivery and “Kindle Unlimited” and sometimes watch Prime movies, so I guess that qualifies as sort of TV.  Its funny that most of what we watch are older movies.

     

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    WillowSpring (View Comment):

    We have Amazon Prime for the delivery and “Kindle Unlimited” and sometimes watch Prime movies, so I guess that qualifies as sort of TV. Its funny that most of what we watch are older movies.

     

    You can see those on “regular” TV too, via TCM, etc.

    • #7
  8. Bob Thompson Member
    Bob Thompson
    @BobThompson

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Seems to me that most people who say “I don’t watch TV” just mean they aren’t watching ABC/CBS/NBC/whatever, but they still have what amounts to a “TV screen” that they just watch other things on. But it’s still TV, really.

    If you’re watching Amazon/Netflix/etc on a screen, that’s really still “TV”.

    I don’t watch, I just read or something.

    • #8
  9. Painter Jean Moderator
    Painter Jean
    @PainterJean

    My late husband and I got rid of cable about eight or nine years ago. We didn’t get any broadcast TV because our house is in the Valley of Bad Transmission. I don’t miss either. 

    The TV is now used for playing DVDs. I haven’t even watched any movies lately because I’m too busy reading!

    • #9
  10. Al French Moderator
    Al French
    @AlFrench

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    My late husband and I got rid of cable about eight or nine years ago. We didn’t get any broadcast TV because our house is in the Valley of Bad Transmission. I don’t miss either.

    The TV is now used for playing DVDs. I haven’t even watched any movies lately because I’m too busy reading!

    Our house is behind the hill of no transmission.

    • #10
  11. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    The running joke among our friends when we had no television was that we had “meaningful conversations” with each other since we had no television to look at (from when we married in 1981 until we moved to New York State in 2000, so no computer, tablet, or phone substitutes). 

    Our children (born 1985 and 1988) read 3 – 5 times as many books as their class peers (many elementary school teachers of the era tracked the number of books the students read). To this day our son prefers reading a book printed on paper over reading it in electronic form or watching a video. In elementary school our son did discover old radio comedy and drama shows from the 1940s and ’50s (Jack Benny, Burns and Allen, Dragnet, etc.) and loved to listen to those. 

    Our daughter has not repeated the pattern with our grandchildren though. Their viewing is almost entirely streaming services, but only at specific times of day for specific durations. 

    • #11
  12. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    I went without owning a television for seven years between 1979 and 1986.  During this time I temporarily borrowed a small black & white TV so I could watch exactly two events – A broadcast of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle on PBS, and for two weeks, the 1984 Summer Olympics.  Learned later that I didn’t miss much.  Good for you , Willow!

    • #12
  13. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    Tex929rr (View Comment):

    What really annoys me is the ubiquitous televisions in waiting areas and now even at self serve gas pumps. I rarely use it anymore but this device actually works. It might be great for CNN at the airport. I’m flying next week for t( first time since COVID. Hmmm.

    TV B Gone

    This seems cruel.  I now want one.  Surreptitious TV control?  Count me in!  Imagine shutting these off TV by TV as you whistle down the concourse.

    • #13
  14. Gazpacho Grande' Coolidge
    Gazpacho Grande'
    @ChrisCampion

    I’m not sure I can do without watching sh*t blow up on the tube.

    Or John Wick perform his Wickiest on the bad guys.

    • #14
  15. colleenb Member
    colleenb
    @colleenb

    I’m the TV watcher in our house though hubby has lots of various computer screens going so ‘screen time’ may be about even. Dislike reading on a screen but will do so if that’s the only way to access a book that the library doesn’t have in print. Try to mostly watch videos (to limit screen time and make it more purposeful). Still have cable but looking to get rid of it soon. Mostly use cable for NHK (Japanese) news, cooking shows, and SUMO (heh I was born in Japan), foreign/British stuff, old movies (30s/40s), and LSU football. Doing more reading but still not as much as I should. Carry a book almost everywhere. In fact, found out I am recognized at the credit union as the lady with the book. Not a bad thing I think.

    • #15
  16. She Member
    She
    @She

    Al French (View Comment):

    Painter Jean (View Comment):

    My late husband and I got rid of cable about eight or nine years ago. We didn’t get any broadcast TV because our house is in the Valley of Bad Transmission. I don’t miss either.

    The TV is now used for playing DVDs. I haven’t even watched any movies lately because I’m too busy reading!

    Our house is behind the hill of no transmission.

    LOL.  I know what you mean.

    • #16
  17. Quietpi Member
    Quietpi
    @Quietpi

    This is funny.  So I spent some hours yesterday talking to moving companies, working on bids for an upcoming move.  The first one I talked to had like a proposed list for every room.  “First bedroom.  Bed?” Yes.  “Dresser?” Yes, etc.  After the first couple bedrooms, and I answered in the negative about TV’s, I added, “we only have one TV, and we haven’t gotten to that room yet.”  

    “Interesting,” says he.  “I bet you have a lot of books.” Me: “yes, tons, actually.  Literally.”  “Yep, that’s always the case,” he responded.  

    In fact, we have a screen.  Got it several years ago so we could watch a Barbershop Harmony Society International contest.  We utilize Roku occasionally, and link to the computer for some special things.  Mrs. QuietPI watches some cooking shows, and we watch Ducks and Huskers games when they’re free.  Apart from that, we haven’t had an actual “TV” since ’87, when we left Vegas.  

    • #17
  18. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    I stopped watching the TV network news during the Reagan years.  Once we got our satellite, we stopped watching network TV altogether.  If we do hear of a show that sounds good, we’ll buy the DVDs and binge watch.

    The only reason I even watch network TV is for sports, and that’s 99% football . . .

    • #18
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.