I grew up with very little television. Don't get me wrong:we had cable and a pretty decent TV, but my parents had dictated that my sisters and I wouldn't watch TV during the day. Getting home from school and turning on the TV was a strict no-no. Of course, rules like that aren't set in stone. When I was a little older, everything changed. Home alone, it was a little too easy to lie on the couch with a zapper in hand. The aforementioned rule was forgotten over time and cable television became a constant companion..
A few years ago, in college, I started renting an apartment. I took the current electric plan and went to a different internet service provider, but the tv gave me a bit of a conundrum. Cable television had become an intrinsic part of my daily routine, but was it worth the money? Or was it worth the hassle? In the end, I decided to cut the cord. Or, don't reconnect it.
Getting rid of cable television has a number of advantages; Some different, others more personal..
The most advantageous effect of cutting the cord for me personally was that it broke the bad habit of surfing on the couch. Previously, television had become such a ritual that the actual content or television shows were secondary. Coming home tired, scrolling up and down a ridiculous array of channels... Watching decent programming seemed to happen almost by accident.
All that changed when he narrates his own entertainment. You turn on the TV when you want to watch something; when you know what you're going to see By the way, I appreciate the content I watch even more, although I spend much less time behind the tube.
Then maybe you can miss the shows you watch when nothing else is on. But what about the other TV shows? Just because you're cutting the cord doesn't mean you don't want to watch TV anymore!
Netflix, Hulu, and other harbingers of the entertainment revolution offer a great alternative to conventional cable subscriptions. You can watch your series on demand (without TiVo headaches), and you can even save a lot of money in the long run. With apps like Tunnelbear (which Erez reviewed on MakeUseOf, access US-only websites for free with TunnelBear) Access US-only websites internationally for free with TunnelBear If you live outside of the US , here's a familiar scene. You're reading your favorite tech blog, and suddenly you see a post about the latest and greatest web services. Maybe it's... Read More
Add the ability to watch Netflix on almost every platform known to man How to access Netflix on almost every platform known to man How to access Netflix on almost every platform known to man I don't like horror movies. The classic horror that I can face; I enjoy the psychological horror of Alfred Hitchcock, for example, but I'm not a fan of scares and gore, as a general rule. My wife, in the... Read More
In my opinion, regular news broadcasts are one of the biggest advantages of television; They keep people updated and informed. Netflix may not give you the same set of news as regular TV, but there are still plenty of ways to get your daily dose of news. Earlier this year, we asked you where you got your news; getting a great response, and some really cool tips.
Digital news is just one such example, as you may still prefer to listen to the radio on the go or read the newspaper over a cup of coffee in the morning. But even within the digital news category, you don't just have to think about the New York Times website. In fact, there are quite a few professional news broadcasts that you can watch online for free. paying a cable subscription. Several TV stations around the world stream their English channels directly to the web, giving you access to what's happening... Read More .
Better yet, if you're building a media center to replace your TV, you can kill two birds with one stone and watch the news online through XBMC. How to watch the news online with XBMC How to watch the news online with XBMC Read more .
The examples above are mostly practical; how it helps you stop wasting time, or alternative sources where you can get your daily or weekly fix. However, you should also not underestimate the detrimental effects that television has on our interpersonal relationships. Couples who watch more TV have been shown to argue more and have a generally less healthy relationship.
That doesn't mean you can't enjoy your shows. But pushed too far, television can tear us apart as easily as it can bring us together.
Are you thinking of getting rid of the cable? And if so, do you have any other motivation than financial? Drop a line in the comments section below the article and share your thoughts on the topic!