It is not about cost per hour, but about improving yourself vs. entertainment. TV's information density, even for good shows (however defined), is very low; yo

It is not about cost per hour, but about improving yourself vs. entertainment. TV's information density, even for good shows (however defined), is very low; you can learn far more in 1 hour of reading than in 1 hour of TV watching. And TV is a passive activity while reading a book requires mental involvement. What people, even poor people, choose to spend their time on has an effect on what they are able to do later.