Let's kill this turgid, mind-numbing forum. It's just a distraction from real life.

This television forum is out of place.

It should not be here.

The threads within should never be allowed on ATS.

You’ve all been sucked in. And now you’re going to express mass denial over your mass distraction. Which is a shame, because as members of ATS you should know better.

One of the phrases which sums up the truth on this subject is the title of an article I often refer those who are in denial to.
Television – The Opiate of The Masses by Wes Moore.

For those who don’t know what I’m getting at here’s a link to the article: Free your mind

TV is addictive, it’s a distraction, it produces endorphins which are addictive. It’s repulsive that so many people waste so many hours watching the horrendous rubbish that is on.

This is all reinforced by forums like this. Forums where people who have donated their life to TV can come along and wax lyrical about the latest episode of ‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘Breaking Bad’ or whatever the latest programme that is having money thrown at it is.

If you’ve watched 6 series each of 10 episodes, each 1 hour long – that’s 60 hours of your life that, no matter how much you try and deny it, you have wasted.

All of this tosh on TV is wasting your life – that is the truth.

Indeed, there are some interesting and educational programmes on TV however these too are part of the distraction if not used wisely.

appliedneurotec.com...

It’s come to the point now that producers, scriptwriters and editors know how the TV effects your easily led mind that effort into story lines is minimal. Rehashed, dragged out, very simple plots left open to keep you hooked until the next installment.

What else can you do? What could you replace those meaningful TV hours with?

If you can’t answer that on your own then TV has indeed taken your mind.

a reply to: and14263

You finished?

Homeland starts in a few weeks as soon as Ray Donovan is over.

*Waits for nonsense pointless thread to fade into the void*

Already we see two replies from members who are in denial.

The power that is TELEVISION.

a reply to: and14263

Humans have always told tales around fires since time began.
It is entertainment, I like a good story and some can inspire me.
Plus documentaries are awesome.

Make that 3.
There are programs I enjoy. That you think it's waste of time, is no reason for me to stop. I think golf is the most boring game ever invented, should all the golfers stop just because of me?

a reply to: and14263

I enjoy some UK comedy panel shows and have watched probably more than 60 hours of them, I also like fishing and have sat fishing for 100s of hours over the years. I also like the woodland and have spent many an afternoon just sat on the bridge over the stream, also enjoy a good book and sometimes read in the woods. I enjoy all of these things, and you would put it to me that it is wasted time?

All of these activities are fruitless in the sense the only things I gained was enjoyment. Heaven forbid!

luck is, i'm only addicted to the internet....Uhm...wait....nvm

Where is that forest when you need one..

a reply to: boymonkey74

Tales round the campfire are not a distraction.

They bring people together.

They do not produce alpha brainwaves.

They do not put us in a near meditative mind state.

How dare anyone find something they enjoy for no other reason then pleasure.
If you aren't in serious mode all the time then you are just part of the problem..

A better approach for the OP. You don't like entertainment or the TV forum then don't waste any of your precious time on them..that doesn't make you any more nobel, better or cooler than anyone else..it just makes you different..

Now like someone said Homeland is on soon..need to get ready....

a reply to: and14263

And yet...

Your premise is that we should not have a television forum, because television is mind rot, and purely a tool of manipulation. I would largely agree, although there are quality dramas, and purely entertaining shows, like Sherlock, and some sundry comedy and science fiction programs which have an artistic value, largely divorced from such things.

However, that is a reason TO have a forum on it, not a reason not to. If you know what is being said, and why, and by whom, you know how and in what manner the minds of those around you are being shaped and ground down by the process of viewing. It is like watching the BBC news. I know it is biased, you know it is biased. Because I know that, I can simply drag what facts are present from the news stories presented, and sift the stories for the spoor of influences beyond the facts. By so doing, I can make better judgements about my own position on topics, than I would be able to without access to that media.

It is not whether you watch television, but how you watch it, whether you retain your critical thinking capacity while you watch. The existence of media, the presence of it, is not negative. Watching it with your mind so open that you cannot see the wood for the trees however, is negative. Again, watching with your eyes open to the influence behind a television show or data presented within, is useful to a person of intellect, and toxic to everyone else.

Membership here generally marks one out as being intellectually capable of the sort of mental sorting that makes the process worthy, as opposed to dangerous. There is, therefore, no reason to eschew this forum. It is how it is used which may need to change, and how it is understood as well.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Dunno, the threads are crap and all about mind rot programmes.

As I predicted though.... Most ATS members are ind denial.

Imagine a TV forum on ATS when ATS was ATS?

You don't like TV, don't watch it.

Stop trying to invite yourself into my home and tell me what I can and can't do, should or shouldn't do.

a reply to: and14263

So because tv personally offends you, we should all just bow to your demands and refrain from watching or discussing it all together?

I would like to know what qualifies you to claim tv is a waste of time? As if people would be running around curing cancer or something, if they weren't entertaining themselves with the harmless past time of watching tv.

Personally, I think Aussie and UK tv sucks big time (expept for BBC, who make some good doco's), for the most part. But I love some good old American escapism. Not everyone is so sour that they just want to constantly dwell in the realities of life.

So what if some meaningless nonsense helps people enjoy life a little?

a reply to: Shamrock6

I wouldn't come into your home even if you invited me.. Especially if you had the TV on.

a reply to: Subaeruginosa

expept for BBC, who make some good doco's

BBC????? !!!!!!!!

Sucked in like the rest of these guys on here.

I would like to know what qualifies you to claim tv is a waste of time?

Because it is.

As if people would be running around curing cancer or something

Erm... Yes they probably would be doing things like that.

i haven't had a tv for about 16 years now.
with the internet i just figured it's a thing that takes up space and collects dust. if i want a "big" movie experience i have a projector so eh.
while i think we can all agree that television tells you what to think and sort of forces you into a strict view point...for example it always felt strange how most tv news channels start their program at the same time, you'd think they would try to avoid that as much as possible to have higher views but nope, so if you watch one, you miss what the other might have to say, and as soon as you start watching one, you just stick with it out of habit.
That being said, don't be too harsh: tv for some people works for what it is, a distraction.
you have a tough day at work, don't want something that forces you to think too much, so you just go watch storage wars or something.

a reply to: and14263

Oh you are so enlightened up on that high horse telling us how TV is beneath you because it rots peoples brains.
Please tell us of the times when ATS was ATS again...around a camp fire.
It's entertainment dude thats it, watch it or not but don't look down on folk who understand it's just entertainment and it doesn't harm them.

Television and movies are a form of art... just like books, only better, because they have video and sound. One has control over what one watches. You can watch informative documentaries and lectures which will make you smarter. That cannot be a bad thing. Even the shows designed purely for entertainment are not necessarily a bad thing. They tell a story, they let you view into a whole new world created by the writer, they often help to teach many important moral lessons by putting fictional characters into extreme situations. Anime in particular often contains many deep insights into the nature of life. All forms of art have something to offer us if you are willing to look for it instead of demonizing everything about it.

I have to admit I'm pretty addicted to TV, but I'm not ashamed of that because the shows I watch are often stimulating and educational. I watch all the latest shows which I find interesting, some good ones recently include Humans and Mr Robot. Life tends to be very boring for a lot of people so you can't blame them for wanting to escape reality through television. As long as you're not watching useless crap all day every day I see no problem with watching shows you enjoy.

a reply to: and14263

Actually, your frame of mind is the cause of some huge problems. 'Like what I like, hate what I hate, agree with me or I will insult you to make my self feel superior"

So..................feeling better yet?