The Simple Pastor
Simplicity & Generosity
Lifestyle Choices: Here’s a good observation from Gary McMurray after watching some TV. I think he’s right when he... http://bit.ly/aEsQmm 17 hrs ago
I just read about my friend Mark’s decision to unplug the TV and Roald Dahl’s hatred of the box in this excellent poem and so I decided to put a few more thoughts down on life without a TV seven months on.
So the World Cup has just finished and of the total 64 possible I watched just 3 (two England matches and the final). Four years ago I watched more than that live in the stadiums let alone on TV and you know what, I don’t think I’ve missed anything. I watched the highlights on iPlayer and saw all the goals and read the reports, so my football interests were satisfied.
But I wasn’t caught up in the hype, I didn’t see a single advert, I wasn’t consumed by something that lasted a mere month. I think it helped with a bit of perspective which TV can skew so easily, the world is shaped by what we see, by what we react to on the TV as much as anything else. I don’t miss the TV and I’m glad that at the age of two my son still isn’t really aware of the existence of a TV.
To be honest I still live too much of my life in front of a screen but it’s down to just one screen now. I’m not wasting time on consoles (if you’re a parent you can scare yourself by reading this article and seeing the pictures! pdf) and we don’t have a TV any longer.
The battle is now with the laptop, to controlling the urge to check emails just before going to bed (how pointless is that?) or read the news headlines constantly. I’m resorting to strong measures (I’m using this programme) to help me focus and shift my energies into more worthwhile and enjoyable things.
Screens are everywhere now, life is mediated through a screen, and I’m becoming aware that for myself this technology is a great servant and a terrible master. I prefer real freedom and real life rather than the sort I see on TV.
Back in the dim and distant past (December 2009) we began to experiment with life without a TV and gave my reasons why. The experiment is now officially over and it’s not good news for the television.
I haven’t missed it. Hardly at all, we’ve watched some films on computers and a couple of progammes online, but most of the time just not thought about it (not even enough to blog about it). (more…)
So the other day the TV went into the Garage for a month of solitary confinement. At the end of the month we will pronounce judgement on said box – it will be either returned to the Whittall family home or sent into permanent exile. The decision got a few comments on the blog and on Facebook. So why are we doing it? There are a lot of reasons:
Got any more?
So we’re experimenting with life without a TV. Freeview has been unplugged, the cables disconnected and the TV is in the garage where it will stay for the next month. If at the end of that month, we decide life is better without the TV, then we’ll have a TV to give away and a licence to cancel. I wonder how long before I get withdrawal symptoms?
It can leave me speechless, on the edge of my seat and make me sing out loud. Television according to SKY is ‘sometimes amazing.’ I’m glad they had the decency to include the word ‘sometimes’ because mostly TV is repetitive, banal, boring or immoral especially with the explosion of channels.
But I’m missing it from being just your plain old ordinary ‘amazing’ to the ‘even more amazing’ High Definition amazing. I had no idea there were grades of amazingness, but it seems there are. Because the next time I’m witnessing an historic event, like say the pictured inauguration of America’s first black president, it will become even more memorable because I’m so impressed by the picture quality. Is it just me or is that a load of rubbish? (although they may be right about the Aussie wicket thing)
But of course some people do love their TV, it is their comfort, their drug, their soothing noise in the background, the faithful provider of constant news, information and entertainment. Until the advent of the internet no one informed you of gossip better than the TV. It is their source of morality and the big difference between Big Brother and reality is that there’s no TV in the Big Brother House making it very unreal and not in a good way.
But now the more amazing TV is apparently, ‘for everyone’ and Sky calls you to ‘believe in better.’ Believe in better. Absolutely, couldn’t agree more. People should believe in better. They should believe in a better world where children don’t die for lack of food, water, safety, medicine. They should believe in a better environment, just societies and trains that work. People should believe in the better that resides in the teachings of Jesus. But believing in better doesn’t mean going out and buying a better TV and subscribing to Sky. Sorry, it just doesn’t.
So if you’re curious to know what I’m ranting about – watch the video here
I believe Jesus when he said 'life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions'. I believe he offers something better. This blog is mostly about that search.
I'm also a church pastor, a bookshop owner, a husband, a father, a keen runner, reader, and motorcyclist. These and a few other things make guest appearances from time to time.