I quit subscribing to satellite television almost three years ago.
I quit my Facebook account.
I quit Twitter.
I also quit drinking sugar in my ice tea, but that's not what I wanted to talk about today.
We first made the decision to quit TV because we were looking to trim expenses. Guess what? We don't miss it. No, I'm not up to date on the cute commercials, but I also don't have to suffer through the dumb ones. If there was a ball game on that was really important to us (which hasn't happened yet, but you never know), we could go a couple of miles down the road and have pizza and beer and watch the game. And they would clean up after us.
We don't miss television.
When some asswipe punk tried to scam my 80+ year old mother, with Facebook gems gathered from family posts, I decided that I didn't need to be a part of the problem. Then one day, about a year ago, I thought about reactivating my account in order to market my books, I had a moment. You know. A MOMENT?
The idea to reactivate was ping-ponging around in my head when I clicked on Facebook for work. And there, as the most recent three posts,were a photo of a badly deformed baby, a hoochie beach babe with her ta-tas almost all out and someone else using Facebook as platform from which to preach. Since none of these three things seemed like something I needed to be a part of, I took it as a hint and did not reactive my account.
I am weary of our present culture of overshare. Is overshare a word? It should be. I think it's distasteful to blast our private moments across the social networks for no other reason than to have a presence on social media. I also think it's pathetic to tweet every moment of your day. I don't care that Suzy Share just finished shopping at Target with her mother and I don't care what she bought. Do you? I don't care what anyone is having for dinner, either. Frankly, I don't particularly care how many fish you caught or how much time you spent watching videos of bikini babes face-plant on the beach in "fail" videos. I don't care that you like watching their bouncing bosoms. I really had that figured out, gentleman; there is no point announcing it.
So count me out. I quit. I don't need television and social media seems to be turning into a tidal wave of B.S. overshare nonsense, taking time away from what we should really be doing. Next time you see that someone's status changes from "Married" to "Single", don't "like" it, go visit them. Instead of posting more religious "inspirational" crap, demonstrate your Christian attitude by doing good in the world instead of talking about it. Next time you and your sweet love are home together with the chores done, don't turn on the television. Talk to each other.
Comment always welcome, as long as we all play nice!
I seldom watch T.V. anymore. My husband works nights, and I just turn off the T.V. and enjoy the quiet. I really don't miss it.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't much on that's even worth the effort of pushing a button on the remote, is there? Much better to be productive and make jewelry like http://www.etsy.com/shop/SimplyCynfulJewelry?ref=em
DeleteMaybe we can't all make beautiful jewelry, but we could all be doing something more productive than TV or twitter/fb/etc etc.
Isn't it just a teeny bit unfair to criticize "sharing" from the context of a personal blog? I guess it's different in that people have to come here on purpose to find your thoughts, but you're still putting them out there for people to read.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I do see your point and agree about some folks needing to dial back the sharing. The political rants, the bowel movements of your baby, those things can remain unshared. But some sharing is a good thing. No, I don't need to know that Jim had waffles for breakfast, but if he found a great new waffle place in town, I want to know about it!
I agree that some sharing is good, and that writing to entertain, inform or provoke conversation is also good. I love to read a well thought out review of a product (or a waffle house) and I enjoy reading rants and raves. I like reading blogs by people who write to amuse or enlighten.
DeleteOversharing is something else entirely, in my opinion. Where that line is, is probably different for everyone.
Thanks for coming by today!
I could never, ever quit TV. I could definitely take a social media break, but my husband and I are total TV junkies and watch pretty much everything under the sun.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was easy for me because I never developed the tv habit.
DeleteThanks for stopping by today!
I agree, overall. I do think a lot of good comes from social media (and it pays my kid's preschool), but like with anything that's open to all, it comes with an abundance of ick. I've never been much of a joiner, so I often find myself laughing at how many things I've "joined" since starting on this social media journey almost two decades ago.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that's the key to most things in life - keeping a sense of humor and balance and self-criticism.
Maybe it would feel different to me if there was some way to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak? Unfortunately, while the idea of a place to come to update your friends, chat with distant loved ones and share fun news of exciting happenings sounds great......it's out of hand. In my opinion, of course. :D
DeleteThanks for coming over today!
I so want to quit TV, but hubby is an addict. He's one of those people who just have to have something electronic happening all the time. When he's not around I rarely even turn it on. I appreciate the quiet and the chance to think my own thoughts...
ReplyDeleteMy hubby wasn't so sure at first, either, but it didn't take him long to adjust. You wouldn't believe how much more we get done every day, too!
DeleteI don't watch much TV but I like watching sports. Usually, I choose to read instead (while my husband watches hours of TV). I'm kind of addicted to social media but good for you for quitting!
ReplyDeleteNot that social media can't be fun! Maybe if your fb friends actually have something to SAY, it could be so much better than what I'm seeing?
DeleteThanks for visiting me today!
Good for you for quitting! We DO overshare. And yet, I'm addicted.
ReplyDeleteYou must be reading something a lot more fun than I ever did!
DeleteThanks for stopping by, Mayor!
I could live without TV. I could not live without twitter and Facebook. Facebook lets me see cousins and their children that I will probably never have the opportunity to meet in person. Facebook lets me stay in touch with co-workers from jobs past that I enjoyed talking to. Twitter lets me be me - unedited.
ReplyDeleteHmmm.... maybe YOUR tweets would be worth reading!
DeleteThanks for stopping around today!
We gave up cable awhile ago and we are better for it. Plus, it makes Food Network at a hotel or friends house even more guilty pleasure-ish
ReplyDeleteOK...I admit. I wish I could watch Ree Drummond's show on Hulu or Netflix. :D I love her blog, I bet her show is a blast!
DeleteThanks for visiting me!
I think it can be easy to see so many "look at my dinner" posts that you begin to think "Hey, I need to post a picture of my dinner!" But then you come to your senses and realize that people don't really care about your dinner other than your mother who wants to make sure you're eating properly. Now coffee, on the other hand, is post worthy...because maybe Sbux will see my tweets and give me free coffee :D
ReplyDeleteI was hoping Kitchenaid would sent me something wonderful too, since my 25+ year affair with my beloved mixer gets mentioned here sometimes. No such luck. :-) Is Sbux paying more attention to twitter? Good luck with it, anyway!
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I've definitely made serious cutbacks on TV. I can't say that I "quit" it entirely but I only watch when I am on the treadmill or when my husband is watching. I couldn't quit social media though. No way, no how. I am addicted. I agree that it can be annoying at times but the personal connections that it provides outweigh the negativity for me.
ReplyDelete:-) You must be having much more interesting conversations than the ones I see through my work accounts. Real connections with friends and family? That's what it was invented for, right? If it got back to THAT? I might be back in.
DeleteThanks for visiting me today!
I agree with Christie and My Half-Assed Life - I love social media. It has been a lifeline for me in many ways and I've always thought that if I don't like what someone's saying I don't have to have them as a Facebook "friend" or follow their blog.
ReplyDeleteI've been seeing a lot of these "oversharing" sentiments lately in the blogosphere. It makes me kind of sad. This should be the one place people can be completely honest and not get snapped at for not putting on a pretty face. Don't we get enough fakery (is that even a word? haha!) in real life?
Well, now that's an interesting question! Maybe I would feel differently about it, if it seemed like real communication to me. I think I get weary of the "Perfect Mom" types, and the ultra-churchy ones. For example, I see some people who seem to be trying to LOOK like all they do on the internet is get spiritual inspiration and tips for raising their gifted child. Call me cynical, but...really?
DeleteI like the word fakery! If it isn't a word, it should be!
Thanks for stopping by!
I hear you on the TV thing. We built a digital antennae so, in theory, we can watch sports or local news but we don't. If you really want to watch something it's easy enough to find online. My pet peeve overshare app is "Get Glue" where people send out automated tweets whenever they're watching a particular show. I get that it can be fun to discuss pop culture with the internet but there's no need to auto-tweet your TV schedule.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Sometimes I see people having actual communication on social media. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering important, but something REAL. Lately it seems to be all drivel. I guess I don't want to see the minutiae on social media any more than I'd love it if my friend called me up just to tell me she just washed the dishes or fed the cat. :-)
DeleteThanks for coming by!
There's nothing like getting together with real friends! My husband jokes that we have "wireless" TV. It's just good, old fashioned free antenna TV. People are like, "What? You can still get that?" Yup. You can.
ReplyDeleteYeah, but can you still get a TV with a knob to change the channel from 2 all the way up to 13? :D
DeleteWe get broadcast TV on our little hill in MT, but here in AZ we live in kind of a hole. All we can get with an antenna is SNOW!
Thanks for visiting me today!
I love TV and social media, but I do value a break now and again. I'm with you on the oversharers though. It can get to be a bit much.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a little bit like if you ever get sick on some certain food? For a long, long time afterwards, you can't stand to even SMELL that food. I may have just gotten sick on overshare. :D
DeleteThanks for visiting, Michelle!