Originally posted by jwg
i would argue that television is equivalent to electronic heroin. interesting link: http://dieoff.org/page21.htm . I've been watching a decent amount of television recently, conscious that I was disconnecting from reality, and i noticed that there were definitely symptoms of addiction, disassociation from reality. i don't think falling asleep to the t.v. is a good idea...seems like a very hazy, unconscious proposition. better to get yourself good and tired and listen to crickets or something, music if you need some noise...

although i do think it's important to ask yourself, why do i need noise and distraction in order to relax and rest?
thank goodness someone views it that way. i just found this post, and was about to speak of the evils of the box, but you beat me to it. excellent link.

i live with my girlfriend and her brother. we're all pretty poor,
so we have no cable, and never bothered with putting an antennae on
our television. i was definitely happy with this turn of events, as they are both intelligent and thoughtful people.

but recently my father began taping cartoon network and the sci fi channel and bringing the tapes over when he visits. even worse, my room mate has been downloading massive amounts of shows through limewire.

our apartment went from productivity (people reading books, making jewelry, being social with our friends, writing, playing music, intellectual arguing/conversation) to the exact opposite. my room mate now has marathon show watchings in which he leaves the room only to urinate, spending the rest of his time watching digitized television and sleeping. my girlfriend isn't so bad, but now she comes home, pops in a tape of television, and just sits on the couch until she passes out.

even though they have the capability to think, they waste all of their free time zoning out on non-interactive 'entertainment'. a complete turn around from the way we used to live.

it was even hard for me to try to write tonight, with the television blaring two feet away in my bedroom, and i am adamantly against the tube.

i don't wish to sound like a prosthylitizing neo-luddite. i feel television is a lot more damaging than anything else, and i would not want it poisoning my dreams.