You Tube, I Don't
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The Guardian magazine had an article recently about how the world watches TV. The average Briton watches almost 24 hours of TV per week. So that's in simple terms, one day a week in front of the box. How is this possible?
Does this include the hours in the office where the omnipresent CNBC/Bloomberg TV/SkyNews (or any other news channel for that matter) tries to tell us that the fact that some Portuguese football coach's dog is out of quarantine is breaking news? I don't believe it does.
Does that include an hour every morning as you're getting ready for work? Well, that's five hours and leaves a lot of watching up to do on the weekends. Give it another hour in evening that still leaves 14 hours to watch on the weekend. Anyone who has a social life and gets some sleep on the weekend can decide for themselves where to slot in these hours, but in brief, that would be almost half your time awake in the weekend. Picture this.
As a matter of fact, I don't have a TV. That's only a semi-conscious choice, just because my last flat came with a TV and my current did not. It is slightly hypocritical as well, since it is similar to turning vegetarian when you run out of sausages or to quitting smoking when running out of fags. But I have been clean for almost two years (not even attending self-help groups anymore) and only occasionally bringing out my computer TV adapter when I need a quick fix, usually in form of an Arsenal match.
Miraculously, my wife did not have a TV either when we met. Which means that we actually do stuff. And we occasionally find ourselves, just like now, on our laptops at the dining table. Which some would consider to be even worse than watching TV, since it is not even done together. But that is where the strictly enforced "No laptops at the table" rule comes in quite handy (during meals, anyway).
But every little addiction needs its outlet. Such as when we are at a hotel and we watch TV. For the sake of it. Or when you are working out and watching DVDs or YouTube. But at least it is healthy then.
So the bottomline is: Let's assume you have one day a week to spare. Are you going to spend this with Jonathan Ross or the greatest person you have ever met? Maybe you are in the situation where he is the greatest person you have ever met, but for now, I have taken a different pick.
Does that include an hour every morning as you're getting ready for work? Well, that's five hours and leaves a lot of watching up to do on the weekends. Give it another hour in evening that still leaves 14 hours to watch on the weekend. Anyone who has a social life and gets some sleep on the weekend can decide for themselves where to slot in these hours, but in brief, that would be almost half your time awake in the weekend. Picture this.
As a matter of fact, I don't have a TV. That's only a semi-conscious choice, just because my last flat came with a TV and my current did not. It is slightly hypocritical as well, since it is similar to turning vegetarian when you run out of sausages or to quitting smoking when running out of fags. But I have been clean for almost two years (not even attending self-help groups anymore) and only occasionally bringing out my computer TV adapter when I need a quick fix, usually in form of an Arsenal match.
Miraculously, my wife did not have a TV either when we met. Which means that we actually do stuff. And we occasionally find ourselves, just like now, on our laptops at the dining table. Which some would consider to be even worse than watching TV, since it is not even done together. But that is where the strictly enforced "No laptops at the table" rule comes in quite handy (during meals, anyway).
But every little addiction needs its outlet. Such as when we are at a hotel and we watch TV. For the sake of it. Or when you are working out and watching DVDs or YouTube. But at least it is healthy then.
So the bottomline is: Let's assume you have one day a week to spare. Are you going to spend this with Jonathan Ross or the greatest person you have ever met? Maybe you are in the situation where he is the greatest person you have ever met, but for now, I have taken a different pick.
Here Is The Writer : Billy No Box
Billy No Box has worked in the city for six years, and currently works in Derivatives for a North American bank. He enjoys playing golf, reading books by Umberto Eco, singing "Copacabana" in the shower and at karaoke bars, and occasionally updating his blog about London and everything else.
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