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I stopped watching TV more than 12 years ago and never missed it. I just think it's boring. That being said, I don't think watching TV is fundamentally differen

I stopped watching TV more than 12 years ago and never missed it. I just think it's boring. That being said, I don't think watching TV is fundamentally different from any other kind of entertainment, be it YouTube, reading HN, Twitter, games, or whatever. It just appeals to a different (older?) audience. Stopping the consumption of any kind of mass media will give you similar benefits. Just like readers of newspapers and magazines have been declining, TV will continue to decline as the generation of older viewers dies out. We have more interactive entertainment now. My mom, who is retired, watches TV for 12+ hours a day, simply because she doesn't "understand" the newer options of entertainment. I can already see the same pattern in myself. I love playing videogames because I grew up with them and I'll probably play them until I die. But I am unable understand or find fun in the entertainment options of the younger generation, such as spending hours on Instagram or Snapchat. It sucks getting old, haha.

Covzire 7y ago
I loathe the television advertisement industry. Commercials are tailored for an IQ of about 80 or less.
- correct_horse 7y ago
  Half of people are below average
blfr 7y ago
Same here. My last TV broke about 12 years ago and I never bothered to get another one. I do, however, think that there is a difference between TV, HN, YouTube, and Twitter/Snap/Insta. Each gives you more and more control over what you're seeing. This is particularly stark on Twitter. People keep writing about how divisive and political it is, how social media lead to depression, and I see none of that. My feed is filled with jokes, esoteric memes, and architecture, with a dashing of netsec. YouTube is similar. I hear how it's supposedly radicalising toddlers or something but my front page and recommendations are just lifting tips, golden retrievers, standup/sketch comedy, and clickbait science stuff. You get what you want from these new mediums. And many people don't like what they see in the mirror.
slightwinder 7y ago
> That being said, I don't think watching TV is fundamentally different from any other kind of entertainment, be it YouTube, reading HN, Twitter, games, or whatever. No, for most of them there are one or two fundamental differences. TV is complete passive consuming, while gaming and communication is usually something active. Additionally they can have a social component, you have a broader variation of content and more control over consuming time and topics you consum/learn about. It's only the same in the sense that they are mostly unproductive "waste of time". Though depending on the content you can learn relevant things for your life and job, so this is take with a grain. At the end it depends on every individual what they consider as entertainment. > But I am unable understand or find fun in the entertainment options of the younger generation, such as spending hours on Instagram or Snapchat. It sucks getting old, haha. I thought the same for a long time, and one day it kinda clicked and I embrassed the shame of social media for some months. At the end entertainment and engagment-systems are all the same, just different in culture and interface.

Covzire 7y ago

I loathe the television advertisement industry. Commercials are tailored for an IQ of about 80 or less.

correct_horse 7y ago
Half of people are below average

blfr 7y ago

Same here. My last TV broke about 12 years ago and I never bothered to get another one. I do, however, think that there is a difference between TV, HN, YouTube, and Twitter/Snap/Insta. Each gives you more and more control over what you're seeing. This is particularly stark on Twitter. People keep writing about how divisive and political it is, how social media lead to depression, and I see none of that. My feed is filled with jokes, esoteric memes, and architecture, with a dashing of netsec. YouTube is similar. I hear how it's supposedly radicalising toddlers or something but my front page and recommendations are just lifting tips, golden retrievers, standup/sketch comedy, and clickbait science stuff. You get what you want from these new mediums. And many people don't like what they see in the mirror.

slightwinder 7y ago

> That being said, I don't think watching TV is fundamentally different from any other kind of entertainment, be it YouTube, reading HN, Twitter, games, or whatever. No, for most of them there are one or two fundamental differences. TV is complete passive consuming, while gaming and communication is usually something active. Additionally they can have a social component, you have a broader variation of content and more control over consuming time and topics you consum/learn about. It's only the same in the sense that they are mostly unproductive "waste of time". Though depending on the content you can learn relevant things for your life and job, so this is take with a grain. At the end it depends on every individual what they consider as entertainment. > But I am unable understand or find fun in the entertainment options of the younger generation, such as spending hours on Instagram or Snapchat. It sucks getting old, haha. I thought the same for a long time, and one day it kinda clicked and I embrassed the shame of social media for some months. At the end entertainment and engagment-systems are all the same, just different in culture and interface.