Monday, February 1, 2010

Observations About Having a TV On:

a. Way less conversation
b. Less opportunities to pray
c. Less time to think about what you need/want to think about
d. Wrong worldviews constantly getting into your thinking
e. Less interaction with the world around you
f. Tasks take longer because your attention is divided.
g. Unimportant information (such as what caused some guy to have tree-like growths) appears important
h. Less opportunities for reading
i. You get caught up in other people's worlds and forget about your own
j. More and sometimes inappropriate thoughts (more being not such a good thing in this case, as one doesn't really need their thoughts taken up with what so and so said about such and such and about what kind of clothes so and so wore and what happens if you take such and such a drug or what kind of car does what and so on)
k. Less exercise and time outside.
l. It gets used as a sort of default... and isn't really the healthiest one. (reading great books is another example of a default, and a much more productive one.)
m. It can make you unsatisfied with your own life by watching other's lives (which may not even be really accurate)
n. It can give you wrong ideas about how life works
o. And on and on... this is only with being in the same house as one for a few weeks. I can only imagine what it would be like to always have one!
p. So, in light of all of that, don't ever get one. :D

Admittedly, there are a few benefits of having a TV:

a. It's one way to keep up with what is going on in the world around you
b. It's something the whole family can do together.
c. It's one way to learn various things
d. It's fun to debate what ever person is on ("Dr. Phil" or whoever it may be) in your mind.

e. It prevents people from wondering what is wrong with you when you don't have the foggiest idea what they are referring to when they talk about sports people or the latest news about so and so
f. You can watch sports on it
g. You can be more involved in different conversations.

However, most, if not all, of those benefits can easily be obtained from books, movies, newspapers, the internet, friends, and so on, and others you can do without. (I have, for the past nearly twenty years...)

Well, those are some of my observations. What do you think? Have you made similar (or even very different) observations? What are some more benefits? What are some other dangers?

9 comments:

  1. Our family has never had a TV so, thankfully, I've never had to be bombarded constantly with the wrong worldviews. . . thank God for wise parents!

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  2. Sounds like you had fun! Very good list.

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  3. Rebeka: Yes, thank God for wise parents!! I am very thankful we've never had that worldly influence in our home. :)

    Jay: Fun making the list? Thank you for "sharing" my list on your reader. :)

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  4. For me, I worry for all the kids who watch TV and soak in all the subtle messages. They see poor behavior normalized, shameful things made shameless...etc...

    I think there are good things on TV too, but to decipher between the good and the bad takes wisdom and maturity.

    :) right now, I don't have any channels on my TV--literally zero... and I like it. I read a lot more and write a lot more and spend more time with my wife :)

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  5. Hello Mr. Barr!

    Welcome to my blog, and thank you for commenting! I am curious... how did you find this blog?

    Yes, that is definitely a danger about TV!

    There are some good things on TV... but for me, I wonder if it's worth those few good things. There are so many other ways to learn things-- like books. :)

    That is great! I am sure your wife likes that very much. :)

    Blessings,
    Carissa

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  6. Great post. I used to watch T.V. regularly, but then I began to feel convicted about it. Even the "good" stuff usually contains immodesty, curse words here and there, and tons of other stuff that we shouldn't be entertaining ourselves with. I do struggle though because I live in a family that watches T.V. (they are Christians, they just don't share my convictions...), so it's hard to stay completely away from it.

    I'm glad to know that there are young people like you out there who are still trying to live holy and dedicated lives in the midst of this evil world. Keep up the good posts.

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  7. Thank you! I am glad that you recognize that in your life and I hope you will continue to avoid it as much as you can. That would be difficult to have a TV in your own house... I'm so thankful we don't have one. :)

    Thank you again. :) It's only by the grace of God! (that and good parents and good books. :))

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  8. Great post. We don't have a TV, but occasionally we buy or borrow a movie which we watch on our big screen computer. :) We DO watch telivision at our aunts when we go there. The little kids like to watch cartoons, and I guess they're isn't anything 'bad' about those. If us big kids stay up late enough, we can get some of the really cool survival shows and stuff. But I am glad that we don't have a TV... but I think occasionaly is okay. :)

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  9. Hi Carrissa. I'm currently struggling 2 keep up my maths and science grades and i wana be a docter sumday cos this is wat i believe the Lord has called me 2 do. This has been a tough tym 4 me and my parents because we all can't figure out wat my problem is. God is the center of my life and have turned to Him 4 guidance and help. Any advice? It feels like my world is falling apart. I cried myself 2 sleep last nyt cos i felt lyk such a failure. HELP! And pls pray for me...pls. 4rm-purple

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