Giving up TV

[mathematoons]

I’m interested in giving up TV to improve my spiritual life, because I realize that the sinful content tempts me too much, and I spend too much time with it. I’m too weak to pull the plug. Has anyone else on here successfully given up TV? How did you do it? How did you get your family to go along with it (that will be an even bigger problem than quitting myself)?

 

[stinkcat_14]

We got rid of cable tv over the summer. Just too much stupid stuff on tv to be worth paying for. We have rabbit ears but have been too lazy to hook them up. We watch a couple of shows on Hulu. I also watch a bit of news when I am at the gym. We went for about 10 years without cable before we got it, which probably made it easier to give up.

 

[IesuMariaIoseph]

Can I ask what you like about watching TV. Perhaps ask yourself. Why do I want to get away from this? Is it hurting me or my relationships including the one I have with God? Of you answer yes speak to a priest. When I was younger I used to watch TV quite I bit. I did this because it was easier and I was “tired”. However, I saw my friends less and as such stayed in more and kept watching TV. So the cycle kept going. I got over this spending more time with friends and expanding my social sphere. I just wanted to watch TV less because I to much other fun stuff to do. Lets also admit there will be a rerun.

God bless you and love

 

[AbideWithMe]

I stopped watching TV totally when the analog to digital change was made–was that 2009? I wasn’t a big TV watcher before then, so in 2009 before getting the signal converter box or a new TV, I decided to wait a few months to see what it would be like to forego TV entirely.

The answer for me was clear after a couple of months. I’d never go back to watching TV. I don’t miss it in the least. I feel freer without it…when I think of TV, it just gives me a feeling of ennui or, to phrase it more descriptively, a feeling of dullness from sensory overload. It was for me, kind of like what happens when you eat something really sweet too often, and it dulls your ability to enjoy a more subtle taste.

My TV now is the beautiful outdoors…stargazing, fireflies in summer, the evening light shifting on the mountains—way better according to my taste than sitting staring at a screen.

To each his own, though.

 

[Julia_Mae]

I’m interested in giving up TV to improve my spiritual life, because I realize that the sinful content tempts me too much, and I spend too much time with it. I’m too weak to pull the plug. Has anyone else on here successfully given up TV? How did you do it? How did you get your family to go along with it (that will be an even bigger problem than quitting myself)?

I live alone, so it was pretty simple.

If your spouse is agreeable, then you just cancel your cable subscription. If not, and if you have room, you can move it to a separate and less central viewing area. You can ban food from the room it’s in. But one thing to do is start doing something else in the evening, like having game nights and bowling nights and make a rosary for an inmate nights. There’s just a whole world of things to do when you aren’t glued to the TV.

In any case, you just stop watching. This is what you can do no matter what. Just stop. Go somewhere else and do something else.

 

[ExGratia]

I’m interested in giving up TV to improve my spiritual life, because I realize that the sinful content tempts me too much, and I spend too much time with it. I’m too weak to pull the plug. Has anyone else on here successfully given up TV? How did you do it? How did you get your family to go along with it (that will be an even bigger problem than quitting myself)?

Just be poor for a while. In college and after, the starving artist method worked for me! And since I met my husband (and got married), there seemed to be much more important things to spend our money on. And our time!

 

[MidnightSun12]

I don’t have cable, so I have hooked my computer up directly to the TV and I use a wireless keypad with a mouse bar to surf from my table, couch, etc…

There’s an increasing amount of Catholic broadcasting available over the internet now. If you maximize the video screens, the quality on the TV isn’t too far off from what you would expect from an analog cable connection. The advantage is that you have full control over what you watch and you can avoid a lot of the immoral content that even a discerning television viewer will be exposed to during commercials, etc…

 

[misscath007]

Don’t think you will be missing much.

I gave up my cable 2 years ago for cost reasons and I really do not miss it. There is so much crud on cable! Never got a digital converter and will probably not bother. When I had high speed internet, I would watch shows occasionally on Hulu…usually old vintage sitcoms. That’s the only thing I find worth watching and of course the news. If I want to watch something special, I get it on DVD so I can control the content of what I watch.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I’m interested in giving up TV to improve my spiritual life, because I realize that the sinful content tempts me too much, and I spend too much time with it. I’m too weak to pull the plug. Has anyone else on here successfully given up TV? How did you do it? How did you get your family to go along with it (that will be an even bigger problem than quitting myself)?

I’m not sure if I can say I have successfully given up Tv entirely… I say this because I do watch EWTN sometimes, and an occasional PBS show (but very rarely). Sometimes I will watch the news or a specific program I know that will be on. But I just gave it up because I really did not wish to see all the crud they have anymore. Frankly, I got bored and disgusted enough to not desire to turn it on. It was a good move. I get more done and I’ve been able to live more peacefully having the time to focus more on the things of God. I often spend the time I used to watching tv by reading and studying Scripture.

I’d say your best best is to give yourself something exciting to do other than watching tv. Take up some other type of hobby… one that is fulfilling and one that you look forward to doing.

Sorry I would not have any idea of how to get your family to join in. I would just recommend retiring in a room where you can’t hear it. ???

One thing is hard- visiting family and they have their tv on. Sometimes I wish so much they would just turn it off. I get so used to not hearing it constantly that when I do, it makes things uncomfortable for me. Its a chatter now that I am not used to while everyone else is.

 

[TEPO]

I’m interested in giving up TV to improve my spiritual life, because I realize that the sinful content tempts me too much, and I spend too much time with it. I’m too weak to pull the plug. Has anyone else on here successfully given up TV? How did you do it? How did you get your family to go along with it (that will be an even bigger problem than quitting myself)?

Go to office max and buy a new calendar (I use at-a-glance), and start planning. Plan vacations, 4th of July ideas, and everything else you can think of… This way you can set yourself up as an ‘influencer’ as opposed to an ‘influencee’…

The only way to do gods will is to get out there and make things happen. Whatever you write down -make it a reality. Have the whole family learn to plan. Think of the books you want, and mark which paydays you’ll buy them on. Go into detail.