How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job • Hacker News Board

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#31

Post by mannicken » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 10:29 PM UTC

drsnyder wrote: post #16

Great article! Recognize though that time is not fungible. For example just because you stop watching tv from 9pm to 10pm doesn't mean your going to be productive in that same block of time after working a full day at your day job. Based on a lot of our responses, I think a lot of us are just substituting web surfing for watching tv (self included). So how do we keep from just substituting another time sink for tv? H…

> So how do we keep from just substituting another time sink for tv? How much time do we waste "web surfing" in the evening when we could be doing something else more generative?

It's not necessary. I personally just do what I want, whenever I want, and don't concern myself with "productivity". If I feel like watching TV for days, hell, I do. Other times I feel like creating something: well, I just take out my Emacs and start coding for hours. If I feel like working, I'll work and earn money, if I don't I just quit and spend money.

That's the good part of being a grown-up. You get to do what you want :)

Life is too short to waste it on meaningful things. And usually meaningful means "following what other people say" anyway :)

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#32

Post by mahmud » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 10:48 PM UTC

PostOnce wrote: post #29

On the other hand, some people watch TV because they just want to relax and not work every waking hour. I use the computer for that rather than TV, but still, killing time is killing time.

TV doesn't make you relax, it agitates you to no end.

I tend to live overseas every other year or so, and whenever I come back to the U.S. I'm surprised by the abnormal, loud booming voice of the announcers and crass sensationalism. Why are BBC anchors so human, calm and collected, while CNNers come off as very emotionally involved, and almost nudging you to participate and mirror their reactions?

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#33

Post by piramida » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 10:59 PM UTC

axod wrote: post #30

Keep your TV. It'll keep you in touch with popular culture for a start. Which is handy if you want to sell things to the 'masses'. I know it's popular on here to hate TV, but this is bs. If you actually make a conscious decision on what you want to watch, assuming you have access to quality programming, then it's extremely useful. You really can't quantify the amount you learn from movies, educational tv, comedy, mus…

I find that "quality programming" is almost non-existent on TV which tends to create programs suitable for the lowest common denominator of possible audience. Which makes even scientific show dumb, shallow, pointless, non-educational.

Really, I don't see what you can learn from TV. Movies for an emotional response once per week - sure, but TV as anything but mindless time filler? Sorry I can't buy that.

You can randomly browse wikipedia and get exponentially more quality information than watching some dumbed down discovery.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#34

Post by bawr » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 11:10 PM UTC

axod wrote: post #30

Keep your TV. It'll keep you in touch with popular culture for a start. Which is handy if you want to sell things to the 'masses'. I know it's popular on here to hate TV, but this is bs. If you actually make a conscious decision on what you want to watch, assuming you have access to quality programming, then it's extremely useful. You really can't quantify the amount you learn from movies, educational tv, comedy, mus…

And likewise, watching selectively is even easier with some peer-to-peer networking and file sharing sites. You can see almost any show you happen to fancy at the moment - and you get to skip the commercials or pause when convenient. Also, most of the time your watching habits aren't recorded by shady companies for unspecified marketing reasons. Even better, there's absolutely no chance of accidentally ending up watching something you didn't plan to, which is the main idea behind corporate TV.

Also - as far as this individual is concerned, popular culture is overrated.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#35

Post by whughes » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 11:14 PM UTC

edw519 wrote: post #15

Femur wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I'm actually getting rid of my TV when I move. I highly recommend this. I've been watching my 'exempt' shows on my laptop for over a year. I'm not quite sure if i will ever have a TV again.

"I've been watching my 'exempt' shows on my laptop for over a year" I thought about this, but for me, this doesn't count. Even if the screen is part of a computer, it is still a "TV". Separating my dev and internet machines has made this a moot point.

Hulu is fundamentally a different video experience than a TV, though. Rather than passively watching channels and killing time, you're actively seeking out only your 'exempt' shows. It's a lot harder to fall into the couch potato trap.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#36

Post by gnaritas » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 11:32 PM UTC

mahmud wrote: post #32

PostOnce wrote: post #29

On the other hand, some people watch TV because they just want to relax and not work every waking hour. I use the computer for that rather than TV, but still, killing time is killing time.

TV doesn't make you relax, it agitates you to no end. I tend to live overseas every other year or so, and whenever I come back to the U.S. I'm surprised by the abnormal, loud booming voice of the announcers and crass sensationalism. Why are BBC anchors so human, calm and collected, while CNNers come off as very emotionally involved, and almost nudging you to participate and mirror their reactions?

TV != news programs.

TV can most certainly be relaxing, it all depends on what you like to watch.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#37

Post by shiro » Fri, Apr 24, 2009, 11:47 PM UTC

I feel ambivalent.

Personally I don't watch TV at all but I do work for TV projects time to time. I started my career in a TV production (part-time CG programmer), and still get projects with some connection to TV time to time. TV industry itself supports quite a few jobs, and the industry depends on those who spend long hours watching TV.

That won't be an excuse to creating dumb content just to make people addict, but suppose all the people stop spending time on passive entertainment and spend it on "productive" activity instead, who will consume their "products"? I just wonder.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#38

Post by axod » Sat, Apr 25, 2009, 12:16 AM UTC

piramida wrote: post #33

axod wrote: post #30

Keep your TV. It'll keep you in touch with popular culture for a start. Which is handy if you want to sell things to the 'masses'. I know it's popular on here to hate TV, but this is bs. If you actually make a conscious decision on what you want to watch, assuming you have access to quality programming, then it's extremely useful. You really can't quantify the amount you learn from movies, educational tv, comedy, mus…

I find that "quality programming" is almost non-existent on TV which tends to create programs suitable for the lowest common denominator of possible audience. Which makes even scientific show dumb, shallow, pointless, non-educational. Really, I don't see what you can learn from TV. Movies for an emotional response once per week - sure, but TV as anything but mindless time filler? Sorry I can't buy that. You can rando…

>> "Really, I don't see what you can learn from TV."

Speechless... Really I am. Seek out, and you will find.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#39

Post by axod » Sat, Apr 25, 2009, 12:17 AM UTC

bawr wrote: post #34

axod wrote: post #30

Keep your TV. It'll keep you in touch with popular culture for a start. Which is handy if you want to sell things to the 'masses'. I know it's popular on here to hate TV, but this is bs. If you actually make a conscious decision on what you want to watch, assuming you have access to quality programming, then it's extremely useful. You really can't quantify the amount you learn from movies, educational tv, comedy, mus…

And likewise, watching selectively is even easier with some peer-to-peer networking and file sharing sites. You can see almost any show you happen to fancy at the moment - and you get to skip the commercials or pause when convenient. Also, most of the time your watching habits aren't recorded by shady companies for unspecified marketing reasons. Even better, there's absolutely no chance of accidentally ending up watc…

>> "popular culture is overrated."

My point is that if you want to have a business, that interacts with people, you better understand popular culture.

Re: How Dumping TV Allowed Me to Quit My Job

#40

Post by bawr » Sat, Apr 25, 2009, 12:34 AM UTC

axod wrote: post #39

bawr wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And likewise, watching selectively is even easier with some peer-to-peer networking and file sharing sites. You can see almost any show you happen to fancy at the moment - and you get to skip the commercials or pause when convenient. Also, most of the time your watching habits aren't recorded by shady companies for unspecified marketing reasons. Even better, there's absolutely no chance of accidentally ending up watc…

>> "popular culture is overrated." My point is that if you want to have a business, that interacts with people, you better understand popular culture.

In that case I rest mine.