# Turn the TV OFF! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272 "2003-07-09T17:08:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/1 "2003-07-09T17:08:14Z")
Really. Is it too much to ask that the fucking one-eyed Time Sucker be turned OFF once in a while? This has been simmering for a while - seems like no matter where I go anymore, the frigging TV is on. And it’s not like anyone’s watching it, either - it’s just BACKGROUND NOISE. I have come to loathe the phrase, “I don’t really like this, _but it’s the best thing on._” It finally got set off by [this thread,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=3677091#post3677091) in which **Alzarian** was complaining that the only thing available was either Andy Griffith due to the lack of yet another “Reality TV” show. **Alz** , I’m not picking on you. Really I’m not. What drove me around the bend was people agreeing they’d rather be driven insane by Andy Griffith rather than watch whatever other piece of crap is available today. People! Why is the concept of TURN THE FUCKING THING OFF so difficult? There are at least a million things you could do instead of waste your life in front of the TV! Why spend that time “settling” for crap _you don’t like_ merely because “it’s the only thing on”? Turn the thing off! Save electricity! Send it to California! There’s plenty in life to do besides watch TV. You could go for a walk, go jogging, flirt with a neighbor, mow your lawn, walk the dog, pet the cat, get rid of that nasty cobweb problem, make friends with the spiders in your bathroom, clean your ears, take a shower, or, Heaven Forfend, you could intake information via the PRINTED MEDIUM. You know, like, READ something? > [@](#): > > [Princess Bride] > “You know, when I was your age, we called TV ‘BOOKS’.” > [/Princess Bride] Or, of course, you COULD always visit SDMB. 😉 _Fixed coding error - CF_ ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/2 "2003-07-09T17:31:43Z")
The TV has an off button? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/3 "2003-07-09T17:37:10Z")
Mom? Is that you?? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/4 "2003-07-09T17:42:53Z")
Sing it with me: It was a one-eye background fucking never-off time-sucker… One-eye background fucking never-off time-sucker… One-eye background fucking never-off time-sucker… What a sight to see! ---
**Author:** ![Toaster52](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/50afbb/32.png) [@Toaster52](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toaster52)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/5 "2003-07-09T17:43:09Z")
Geez, don’t tell my daughter the TV has an OFF button…she would have a heart attack. ---
**Author:** ![pencilpusher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d6d6ee/32.png) [@pencilpusher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pencilpusher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/6 "2003-07-09T17:45:05Z")
LOL this OP sounds like my hubby except HIS comments are “Turn of that fucking computer for cripes sake. You know the baby COULD use some fresh air and it IS daylight outside!!” My response…“Sure hun… inna minute” Of course he HAS to repeat himself an hour later… ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/7 "2003-07-09T17:51:17Z")
I live alone. When I’m home, which is when I’m not at work, the TV is almost always on. If not the TV, I have music playing. But, I prefer TV because it’s got people talking. I bet I actually _watch_ less than an hour of TV a week; it’s just on when I’m in the house to make me feel less alone in my apartment. It comes on when I come home, it goes off when I go to bed. If I have friends over or company of course I turn it off, but if I’m home it’s on. I also sleep with a fan on year round cuz I’m a very light sleeper and the white noise keeps me from waking to every peep in the neighborhood, so the TV thing goes hand in hand with that. I loathe silence; years of loud music make silence deafening for me. My ears ring and I can hear my own heart roaring. Ugh. Just my own personal explanation for why my TV is _always_ on. I agree that turning it on, plopping in front of it for hours at a time and zoning out to it is Not Good. I just like it for the noise. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/8 "2003-07-09T17:56:33Z")
Let’s see. I read, in general, a book a day. I play online. I write. I go to the gym. I spend time talking to my boyfriend. I work. I play with my pets. And I watch TV. A _lot_ of TV. No less than 3 hours a day, usually. But for the most part, the tv is on WHILE I’m doing one of these other activities. I like it. I like the TV as background noise, and I like having it on constantly. I fall asleep to the television. I’m the kind of person that will keep a bad sitcom on just so I have background noise rather than turn the television off. But I suspect a lot of that comes from the fact that I like to be alone a lot and the TV makes it seem like there are others around (which I know doesn’t make sense…). I like tv:p . Ava ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/9 "2003-07-09T17:56:55Z")
I notice one of the first things people do when they come into their hotel room is to turn the TV on, probably for the same reason **Rasa** talked about. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/10 "2003-07-09T17:59:25Z")
What I can’t figure out is why my mom’s husband leaves it on ALL THE TIME. Even if he’s LEAVING THE HOUSE. He has left it on for HOURS while he was gone. I regularly turn it off when he leaves. Drives me NUTS. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/11 "2003-07-09T18:07:03Z")
**PoorYorick** , Yeah, I’ve startled hotel people by telling them I’m not at all interested in the channels they get, the selection, where the remote is, nothing. If there’s not something on I want to watch, I leave it off. I do understand having it on for “background noise”, but I prefer CD’s for that. Or, for the “human conversation” aspect, I use the radio. Though, **whiterabbit** , even though DogDad used to do that, he now turns it off whenever he’s not ACTIVELY watching. You see, we just got our latest Utility Bill and the electricity rates just went up… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/12 "2003-07-09T18:08:11Z")
Oh, and a big THANK YOU to **Coldfire** who fixed my coding. ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/13 "2003-07-09T18:16:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DogMom \* > \*\* > …Heaven Forfend, you could intake information via the PRINTED MEDIUM. > You know, like, READ something? > \*\* Not to pick on you specifically, **DogMom** but… It seems like every time someone talks about the _eeeeevils_ of TV, they need to tell me that I should be reading a book. You know what? I do, in fact, watch TV. Quite a bit at times. I’ll probably check out _The Secret Life of the Brain_ on PBS tonight. Tomorrow I’m sure to watch _The Amazing Race 4_ and possibly even _CSI_ if I’m in the mood. And, odd as it may seem, I still manage to read. I managed the latest Harry Potter in under a week. Last night I finished _Put a Lid On It_ by Donald E. Westlake and today I’m starting on George R. R. Martin’s _A Clash of Kings_. If people would stop making value judgements on the media I choose to indulge in, I’d be a lot happier. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/14 "2003-07-09T18:45:35Z")
I think I need to clarify my rant. I apologize for not making this clear in the OP. I, too, watch TV. I have no problem with the entire concept of watching TV. **Trion** , you’re obviously watching shows you enjoy, and you’re making a considered decision to do so. **avabeth** watches while she does other things. I have _no problem_ with TV as an entertainment medium. My problem comes in when it seems to become the _sole_ entertainment medium. The whole, “I have nothing else to do so I’m going to plop myself down in front of the Idiot Box. Oh, wow, nothing’s on I like. Oh, well, I’ll watch this show because it’s the least objectionable thing on.” Or, “My show was cancelled and now I _have to_ watch some stupid show I hate!” I do watch TV. Quite a bit of it. But I do a LOT of other things, too. Mostly with the TV off. Because I consider it entertainment, and when it ceases to entertain, it gets turned off. (and you’ll notice I didn’t suggest reading as the SOLE alternative, either.) ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/15 "2003-07-09T18:57:35Z")
Like I said **DogMom** , I wasn’t targeting you specifically. I pretty much agree with what you said. But the whole “Why don’t you read a book” thing is a peeve of mine (and while it wasn’t the only option you gave, I would say that you stressed that one). It’s the most commonly used example of something better that I can do with my time. As if reading the latest Xanth book is better than _Masterpiece Theatre_. And if we’re gonna make value judgements about media forms, where does my collection of comic books fit in? All I know for sure is that _Wuther Heights_ is ass in text form. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/16 "2003-07-09T18:57:56Z")
I have never understood the need to have the TV on when one is not watching it, listening to it, or otherwise paying attention to it. Particularly when one has guests in the house. I have a friend who simply leaves the thing on, 24-7. Drives me nuts. THEIR whole family simply ignores the thing. I, on the other hand, can’t. Howthehell are you supposed to have a decent conversation when you’re competing with Vanna White turning vowels around? Even when the other person doesn’t even know she’s there? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/17 "2003-07-09T19:06:15Z")
You ask them to turn it off? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/18 "2003-07-09T19:06:15Z")
Ours is almost always on. I don’t know how to break myself of the habit. It’s like a member of the family. I sit there every night (ESPECIALLY in the summer) and bitch about the crappy programming, but I’m still there. I sleep much better with it on. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t seem to stop…help! ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/19 "2003-07-09T19:16:48Z")
Eh, we went without cable for a while, and even now it’s off unless we’re watching something or waiting for something to come on. Like if Mail Call is coming on at 8 and it’s 7:50, I’ll turn the TV on. Cause otherwise, I’ll get engrossed in something and forget. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272/20 "2003-07-09T19:17:13Z")
Fear not, **DogMom** , mine’s been off for almost **two years** now. I’m going to take a picture of my dust caked remote for posterity. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/turn-the-tv-off/187272.md?page=2)