Benefits Of Not Watching Tv

[Mary]

Have any of you stopped watching TV? What were the benefits?

 

I've just started binge-watching a series that has 6 season sand it hasn't even finished. (White Collar). I've watched the 1st season. Although it was good, it didn't leave me satisfied not as I expected. I'm tempted to watch the next seasons but I also kinda rather not. I need motivation to stop it!! Help!

[QandC]

@Mary Why should you stop? Really, think about it. What damage does it have on your life? Any negative impact? Sometimes we all need external stimulation. If it doesn't interfere with any other part of your self development then what does it matter...

You could try not watching streaks of it. Just maybe leave it to one episode per week? 

[Saarah]

@Mary I feel brain dead when I watch tv these days it seems to not go anywhere or do anything that is meaningful at all, even though I have other addictions tv is one I've checked off my list

i don't strictly say to myself I'm not watching tv anymore, it's just that when you pursue more interesting and meaningful things like reading about personal development etc. then you see the meaninglessness in tv 

the thing with tv is you watch one episode of something and then you want to go back for the next, if you cut the cycle by doing something of more interest then you have no reason to go back cos you've already missed episodes of whatever and you don't feel the need to catch up anymore, tv is all about being up to date and all caught up

my advice would be to not stop yourself from watching tv, finish your episodes, if it doesn't finish just see the boringness and pointlessness, only when you stop desiring it any more through pursuing more meaningful and productive things and more awareness of the pointlessness of tv will you no longer desire to go back

I think you are forcing it with a 'should', that you should not watch tv, and that will make it difficult for you to keep away, so it's fine to watch tv and when you have developed a natural inclination to stop then stop

 

[Anna]

As I wrote in a similar topic: Moderation is the key.

Personally I don't watch TV, but I watch youtube videos and sometimes too many of them. The effect is quite the same. Like @Saarah said: I feel brain dead too. It distracts me too much from my life. It seems like an escape from the current situation I don't want to deal with. 

[QandC]

@Anna Same with me

[Natasha]

@Mary When I stopped seeing value in watching TV and decided to have it cut off a couple months ago, I did it 'cold turkey'. I called my cable provider and unsubscribed the service. I also, deleted my facebook and use cell phone only for emergencies. 

The main benefit of doing this is that you have more time to live in the real world, vs cyber reality. I get out more in the nature now, exercise, travel, read, meet with friends in person, etc. Leo's latest video also made me think seriously about getting more consistent with meditation. I have now spare time for that too. It's all about priorities. 

 

[Mary]

@Quizzer Makes me feel brain dead!

 

@Saarah I don't know If I'm forcing this with a should. I mean, I'm not addicted. I'd be okay with not watching it. (Actually I just checked the ending and I'm not interested anymore much, Maybe I'd watch the last episode. Seemingly the series is finished.)

I mean it's just that many people including leo are telling that it's better to quit it forever. I just wanted to know will all the effort be worth it.

[Mary]

@Natasha I wanna do this but the thought of never watching a TV series makes me not wanna do it. I mean I like that kind of high emotional feeling and the kind of thrill it brings. (But it also makes me feel brain dead and distracts me from all the work I wanna do.) Do you have anything to say about that? Do you miss that kind of thrill at all now? 

[Natasha]

@Mary I don't want to waste this short life on things that are not real. It's like watching a beautiful nature scene on the screen instead of just getting out there and actually experiencing it personally in real life using your 5 senses. Besides, TV and other social media are designed to condition/ control your mind, and this conditioning more often than not is not in your favor.

Leo has a video where he talks about this in more detail:

http://www.actualized.org/articles/30-ways-society-fucks-you-in-the-ass  

[Corte]

I love how @Natasha slips in ever so casually: "ways society fucks you in the ass"  

[Saarah]

43 minutes ago, Corte said:

I love how @Natasha slips in ever so casually: "ways society fucks you in the ass"  

She's got guts to be going round the Internet posting that kind of thing  

[charlie2dogs]

7 hours ago, Mary said:

Have any of you stopped watching TV? What were the benefits?

 

I've just started binge-watching a series that has 6 season sand it hasn't even finished. (White Collar). I've watched the 1st season. Although it was good, it didn't leave me satisfied not as I expected. I'm tempted to watch the next seasons but I also kinda rather not. I need motivation to stop it!! Help!

 

30 minutes ago, Saarah said:

She's got guts to be going round the Internet posting that kind of thing  

i like reading her stuff too, she is great

[Natasha]

@Corte @Saarah @charlie2dogs

Thank you, guys. I'm too learning along the way from great fellow forumers like yourselves 

[abrakamowse]

I learn a lot just "observing" your posts

[Natasha]

23 minutes ago, abrakamowse said:

I learn a lot just "observing" your posts

Thank you, Abra  I can say same about you.

Proverbs 27:17, " As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

[abrakamowse]

2 minutes ago, Natasha said:

Thank you, Abra  I can say same about you.

Proverbs 27:17, " As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

Cool proverb Natasha

[Elton]

@Mary your mind becomes free and your time becomes free, you can find your true values easily as t.v. Corrupts them you become aware of mindless consumerism and how reality works,t.v. Is a series of endless climaxes. 

[Elton]

@Mary you start by reducing TV time and doing some meditation work, the images and thoughts you see hear and feel will be much more entertaining than t.v. ;-) and maybe if you are lucky you will realise how you are not real too just like your t.v.series

[Omega]

I spontaneously quit 5 years ago, because I felt that TV was a pointless and mindless activity. I felt consumed, used to watch, maybe 1-2 hours daily. Benefits? Eh, idk, never thought about it. I guess I have more time and freedom.

13 hours ago, Mary said:

@Natasha I wanna do this but the thought of never watching a TV series makes me not wanna do it.

Trying to quit a habit is a push mechanism, negative motivation. I wouldn't suggest that you try to find motivation in anything resembling a cost-benefit analysis: Here are the benefits of quitting TV, here are the disadvantages.

I do watch moving pictures on the Internet (no ads) whenever I feel like it. I have watched Lost, Gold Rush, Marvel, some anime (non-flat characters) and the occasional documentary.