Tayari's Blog: No TV for me!
Posted by TayariJones on August 24, 2005 04:00 PM
Filed under
The Writing Life
In my post a month ago about Confessions of a Video... I mentioned that I do not own a television. Some people responded as though I had said that I don't own a refrigerator...
Here's the story on me and TV. I didn't grow up watching much TV. My parents had all sort of regulations regarding my brother's and my media consumption. I think we were allowed to watch thirty minutes per day and nothing after 9pm. This meant that I wasn't able to watch "The Jeffersons", which meant I was left out of lunchroom conversations the next day at school.
It wasn't a tragedy and it meant that I never really developed at taste for television. Well, when I was going to college, I was given a nice television set as a graduation gift. I took it with me to school, but when it came time to evacuate the dorm for Christmas vacation, I didn't want to leave it there. I asked a friend if she would be willing to store it at her house. She said yes. When I returned I figured out that her family was using my TV as their primary TV. I didn't want to ask for it back. And besides I didn't watch it much when I had it anyway.
Flash forward four years. I once again found myself the owner of a TV. This time it was a big console model. I was living in Iowa City, studying at The University if Iowa. It was the worst time of my life. I read in Jet Magazine (and they say there is nothing worth reading in JET!) that Black women who watch a lot of television are 47 times more depressed that Black women who don't.
I was desperate. I turned off the tube. I felt better, not ALL better, but when you're facing that sort of gloom, every little bit counts. I haven't watched it since.
When I tell people I don't have a TV, they say, "Well, what do you DO?" I guess I listen to the radio, fool around on the computer, read.. I just do other things.
It's funny though, since I don't really watch TV on a regular basis, I am so entranced when I so see one. I stare it, thinking, "How do they get the people in there!"
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There are 8 comments on "No TV for me!". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.
Comment #1, by Cherlyn
Hello Tayari,
I must say, I am in total awe reading this. Actually, I think it's cool. On the other hand, I have to admit that I don't think I could do it. I've always had a TV and I sleep with it on. Can't say that I watch a lot other than re-runs and sports, but I need the background noise, and that's what I use it for. So, although I never seem to be able to discuss the popular shows with everybody, I still can't imagine not having one.
I do see where there's much to do without one though. Just hard to imagine. Very interesting though.
August 24, 2005 09:52 PM
Comment #2, by Anquinetta
T., my guess is that people probably are as confused by your no t.v. admission as they are when I tell them I don't own a cell phone. It's funny how things like tv become absolutely necessary for many people. I understand about the tv though. I think it has a lot to do with how you grew up. I didn't watch much tv as a child, only the news with my father and for the most part I only watch the news now--funny how that happens. My tv is a small portable and my sister can't understand why I haven't purchased one of those HD entertainment systems (She owns no less that three HD tvs). What she doesn't understand is that I don't watch tv for entertainment. I only watch for information and when I'm finished I turn it off. That still freaks her out. She will never understand but continously reminds me that she's happy I finally have cable. I just laugh. To each his own.
August 25, 2005 05:52 AM
Comment #3, by Angela Henry
LOL! I get the same incredulous looks when I tell people I don't own a car. It broke down a few years ago and I just never got another one. It's just one less hassle/expense in my life. I know I'll eventually break down and buy another one. For now, especially with these outrageous gas prices, I'm happy to be car free. But I can't live without my TV!
August 25, 2005 09:03 AM
Comment #4, by Tammee
I LOVE TV!
Having proclaimed that, I did do without one for about a year, when I went back to school. It was one of the most liberating times of my life, and after about a week i didn't miss it at all. But now that I'm a food network and home and garden crackhead (as you can see I have a lot of vices...lol), I don't know if I can do without it....but maybe I'll try
:)
August 25, 2005 11:08 AM
Comment #5, by sherri
I can totally relate to being a child of the 70's and not being able to watch TV. I don't know if I'm older or younger than you, but In remember the other kids talking about Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley. My television watching was limited to anything on PBS and Soul Train on Saturday mornings - provided I cleaned my room.
That said, my dad let me watch Sanford and Son with him on Friday nights when my mother was away from the house. It was our 'secret'. There was a time when I thought we were doing some father/daughter bonding. Now, I think he just wanted to watch the show and didn't want me bugging him every 5 minutes while my mom was out. ;-)
August 25, 2005 01:25 PM
Comment #6, by sherri
I can totally relate to being a child of the 70's and not being able to watch TV. I don't know if I'm older or younger than you, but In remember the other kids talking about Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley. My television watching was limited to anything on PBS and Soul Train on Saturday mornings - provided I cleaned my room.
That said, my dad let me watch Sanford and Son with him on Friday nights when my mother was away from the house. It was our 'secret'. There was a time when I thought we were doing some father/daughter bonding. Now, I think he just wanted to watch the show and didn't want me bugging him every 5 minutes while my mom was out. ;-)
August 25, 2005 01:25 PM
Comment #7, by Ladylee
Tayari, no wonder you get so much reading done! It's looking like every other day you're posting what books you have finished, or what books you're reading, etc. Good for you!
As a child, I remember there being at least five or more TVs in our house at any given time (We even had a TV & VCR in the kitchen...imagine that). We were never restricted on what we could watch, and that's not good. And now, looking back on those days, I see how much of a waste of time it was to watch so much television. I could have been doing something much more constructive with my free time.
These days, I own only one television and people think that's funny. I find that as I get older, I watch less television. Much of what comes on is useless. Chewing gum for the brain. And when I do watch television, I prefer CNN and Fox News Network--current events/news analysis types of programs.
August 25, 2005 03:51 PM
Comment #8, by Susan
I grew up in a rural area with no cable available; we had a tall antenna at the corner of the house. It worked better as a lightening rod than anything else, and the only channels we could consistently get were the Little Rock NBC affiliate and the public television station. Lots of nature shows in my childhood! In retrospect, I am *certain* that not having much TV available is a large part of why I read so much.
September 29, 2005 11:10 AM