Living without TV and internet, Anybody done it?

I really need to do this. I spend WAY too much time on this fucking site.

I wouldn't be able to do it, even if it were all just for entertainment, at least the internet. I can live without the TV and have done so for the past 10 years or more. My TVs never get turned on.

Back in the days before 3G I would go on trips and not have the internet, and I remember it really sucking. Glad those days are over.

I am 95% TV free, and have been for 10 or more years.

I know, everyone says "I watch hardly any TV." I find that a lot of those people really mean the amount of time actually sitting in front of the tube is only a few hours a day, but the TV's on the rest of the time, "just for background noise".

I sometimes watch two shows for a total of an hour a week or less. Maybe one or two football or baseball games per year.

I'm Amish with some other stuff. I also eschew texting, gaming, and yakking on the phone. I use my cell phone for business and maybe three 1-minute personal calls a week.

BUT- We watch one or two movies a week. And I am hooked on the internet, although I like to think most of it is work-related, inspiring, or educational. I don't watch videos or play games on-line. SF is one of just a couple guilty pleasures on-line.

So I have my my screen-time vices, but regular TV isn't one of them. After we gave up TV for a month or so, I came back to it and found it kind of gross. After a year it was downright obnoxious. Now, TV is basically a fingernails-on-the-chalkboard sensation. If a TV is on in a repair garage or doctor's waiting area, I will wait outside. If one is on in a restaurant (not just over the bar, but prominently blaring away) I will go elsewhere. It really makes me cringe. Daytime TV is a voyage of nausea.

I find I am out of the loop for a few minutes here and there when my friends talk about shows or TV actors or funny commercials. So, what?

The "background noise" that people like? That's the worst part to me. It pains me. You can't be alone with your quiet thoughts for a few minutes? Turn on some friggin' music.

I wish I could say I was super-humanly productive creating great works because of all this extra time. I wish that were true. I do have a lot of interests, activities, projects, and hobbies, I guess. I read more than anyone I know. All my friends say they never have any time to read...

Dave

I did 2 weeks without any TV or internet, I got basic cable after that but no internet for 5 weeks.

It did not change my life in any appreciable way. I watch football games, some TV programs, download and watch movies on my computer, browse the internet, etc just as before.

Been without tv for about 8 years and rarely miss it. Internet, I'm not sure I could do without that.

I have not had cable for over 6 years now. I download all my shows from the internet.

I went for about 8 years without a tv and didn't miss it. I would miss the internet.

I once thought it was great that I didn't watch tv but then I realized it's because i'm always online, which I'm sure is the case for a lot of others.  Never without both though.

The TV in my room is sort of like a bulletin board with post-its all over. But i must say that i cannot do without internet, got to do some facebook/twitter stalking once in awhile 

I use the TV for two things: Sports and films. And I watch a lot of both of these.

No internet would suck. I'm sure my life would have more texture and probably be more productive but having this much information/entertainment at your fingertips is too much to give up.

I lived most of fall last year and all of spring this year with no TV. Games I would watch in a pub/bar/friends house/online, TV shows online.

Can't live without internet though, a smartphone isn't really enough for basic needs (emails, news). Internet would be nice to live without sometimes, so that is why we have vacation.

For extra bonus points, try living without ANY solid state circuitry in your life! It can be done, although obviously I'm not doing it now or you and I wouldn't be in communication. I've done it and it makes you realize that most of it (products needing semi-conductors to work) is dross. Gotta have the vacuum tube, though.

Just go on a trek for a few weeks. You'll use your iPod a bit, but otherwise no tech of any sort. Very nice and you'll lose like 10 pounds