Is watching TV really any different than reading?

There is a saying..."Garbage in garbage out". When you watch teevee it's garbage in. 24 years ago I threw away my teevee and decided not to put garbage in my brain.

I generally treat tv like radio. It's on in my shop generally history or science related, not reality type shows, genuine info. I listen as I work and if it sounds like it's worth looking at I lift my head for few seconds.


What's weird is I've pretty much sworn off pro sports, but enjoy listening to local sports radio while I work too. They get too deep in a couple sports and I do have to change the channel though.

dannyd said:

My wife is the opposite; she is a Professional Couch Potato, like many Babyboomers, she watches T.V. all the time and unfortunately believes what see she sees.

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And there's the difference. TV programming is, inordinately, slanted towards Socialist/Leftist viewpoints. It is, after all, a product of Hollywood.

Books, and particularly non-fiction books, written years/decades ago are much less effected by the Left.

I tend to read books on history, historical novels and similar. Today I was prompted by a thought-provoking internet opinion piece to grab a college-level book on "logic." While I may have been taught logic in my primary school years, I suspect learning it anew will add greatly to my competence. Following is a link to that article:

I do books or audio books or if I watch T.V. it's documentaries on Youtube or other venues.

I have 90 books in my Audible Library and also check them out from the library.

Both pastimes are kin to your dietary habits. You can fill you brain or fill your stomach. You can choose a steady diet of the Three Stooges or Public Television. Spice is the variety of life. Pick and choose, pick and choose.

Bob Wright

TV is like having a used car salesman standing in front of you, between you and the WORLD 24 hours a day. They are ALWAYS selling you something. Selling deodorant or selling a politician, butt wipes one minute and the salad bar the next. They are ALWAYS selling SOMETHING, and every minute you sit there you are giving up SOMETHING.

My wife and I have been having this "discussion" lately- although usually the handheld screen is the culprit, in my case.

One of my main passions is knowledge. When I was young, acquiring that knowledge required lots of reading and many trips to the local library. One of my most memorable reads was "Andersonville" by MacKinlay Kantor. I was 13 and my imagination created scenes that a movie could never match. In fact, I believe it has been made into a movie but I have not seen it. Anyways- I look at the phone now as a modern version of a handheld library. I can research to my hearts desire any subject imaginable. One has to be discerning, however. I try and avoid most videos on the phone- because it can become like handheld "crack"- you start watching something informative and 2 hours later you find yourself watching Russian dash cam crashes. But- for the purpose of gaining knowledge, I find reading on the phone akin to researching at a library. However, I can't get behind reading a novel on the phone- it's just "not right".

I enjoy TV, but only for certain things, like action movies, westerns, and documentaries. Occasionally news and weather too. TV and Movies are pure escapism to me, and I do enjoy the visual and auditory experience that a 65" tv and a high quality sound system provide. What I can't stand is the advertising and it's left bias, coupled with equally biased programming. Another dislike is "reality" shows- first they're nowhere near "reality", and if I want reality I'll just get off my butt and live it! I also really dislike these movies that tug at your heartstrings- I can't understand why someone would enjoy watching a movie about suffering, loss, pain, heartache. Why would you want to spend the time and tears watching something that you pray never happens to you?

I guess I look at it this way:

A book can describe a tree, and your imagination can build a mental picture. The book can also teach you anything you need about the inner workings of that tree.

But it takes a picture if you want know what a tree really looks like-

But the only way you will ever be able to fully appreciate the majesty of God's creation in a tree is to go outside and experience it for yourself.

The Preacher said:

Reading moves the mind...TV numbs the mind.

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Truer words never spoken. I average around 3 books a week of different genres. Not only a learning experience, but stimulates the mind. If you read for escapism, it's your MIND that that creates that new place for you. TV is just voyeurism with no thought involved. Of course I still watch some. NCIS, Bones, science shows, bio / history channel, Some Sci Fi if it's on. However, if I have read the book I don't bother with the movie. It'll never be as good.

While there are a few shows I watch for entertainment it's not the only way I spend my time. I have a lot of interests, and I will read books, watch videos, watch shows, surf the net or find other sources of information to further those interests. Sometimes the TV is background noise while I am doing something else, but most of the time I will open up my playlist of music from the '50s to the '20s while I am reading or net surfing.

Of course, sometimes I will just DO one of those other interests.

Johnny-Baseball said:

And there's the difference. TV programming is, inordinately, slanted towards Socialist/Leftist viewpoints. It is, after all, a product of Hollywood.

Books, and particularly non-fiction books, written years/decades ago are much less effected by the Left.

I tend to read books on history, historical novels and similar. Today I was prompted by a thought-provoking internet opinion piece to grab a college-level book on "logic." While I may have been taught logic in my primary school years, I suspect learning it anew will add greatly to my competence. Following is a link to that article:

Polylogism Is the Root Problem

www.theepochtimes.com

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Julius "groucho" marx said, I find tv to be very intellectual; whenever somebody turns one on, i go to another room and read a book.

I read every Jesse Stone novel out there watched everything movie . They don't make a movie for every book but it fun to see the movie after the read

I don't deny that there is a lot of crap on TV. I have never watched, and likely never will watch any of the "Survivor" type fake shows, nor any of the inane game shows (other than possibly Jeapordy). But there is also good stuff if you look for it. Last night I watched a documentary on Netflix about the latest thoughts on the Neanderthals. Very interesting and not political in the least.

thinckley said:

Turn on the sub-titles. Reading and watching at the same time, problem solved!!

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I find subtitles (and their errors) to be simultaneously frustrating and amusing

ole442 said:

When they make a movie based on a book, I usually will go and read the book first. Seldom is the movie as vivid as the movie my mind creates as I read the book. Most often, the movie has a lot of the story left out or changed. But then, I almost never go to see a movie anymore because most movies made now are a POS! JMHO

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C. B. Demilles said, Never judge a book by its movie.

thinckley said:

Turn on the sub-titles. Reading and watching at the same time, problem solved!!

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Now a days I need the sub-titles cause my hearing toke a

jav said:

Now a days I need the sun-titles on hearing toke a

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Californian wisdom

What?

crstrode said:

Californian wisdom

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Sorry I corrected it did know grammar police was on my ass