I got to see this movie a few years ago in the theater in a midnight showing. I was loaded on pot cookies. Awesome movie: "I came here to chew bubble gum and kick some ass . . . and I'm all outta bubble gum."
Greatest. Line. In Cinema. Ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_K8prLfso

Ahh, thanks for that; pure gold. I'm glad that, after like six years since I've seen the movie, I only slightly misquoted the line. I'm going to have to download this movie, it's been awhile....

wait, did I spell sith right?



Huge star wars fan, couldn't resist.

You know, it's gotten silly and all. This thread was supposed to be somewhat serious. I had a real message...and it's something that I feel is pretty important. There millions and millions of people everyday, and even right at this very moment, who are in a slack jawed stupor staring at a big bright screen watching other people play make-believe. That is mind-blowing.

I think that's been your problem with this thread; you're much too serious. Life is a game to be Played, not lamented. Lighten Up.

Relevant Lizard King

You are so off the mark with that comment. I think this thread just went right over your head. I don't like TV...and that means I need to lighten up??????????

?

?

?

My brain is about to explode. It might have already exploded. If not, consider this my farewell....

Have always stayed away from the bulk of TV (with the exception of cartoons as a youngin).

With that being said, there are some EXCELLENT shows out right now. Here is a great one.


Check it Out with Dr. Steve Brule (John C Reilly is nothing short of a genious)

Check it Out - Boats




EDIT: Forgot to mention, if you like that one, go to adult swim's website, theyve got virtually all episodes of it to stream for FREE!

Perhaps you are a bit too attached to your point of view?

You know, sometimes intentionally indulging in activities/behaviors that make you uncomfortable can be beneficial. They bring you out of your comfort zone and provide new experiences which softens the ego and expands your world, even if you don't like it...or you may find you do like it! I did this with televised sports. I hated them. It frustrated me how some people can become so fanatical about them. I just didn't get it. So eventually I decided for a period of time, I would watch sports all the time. Really get into it. I would go to the bar and get drunk, routing for my home team, shouting at the TV!

At first it felt completely stupid and embarrassing, but then after a while I started to get into it, feeling happy when my team won, sad if they lost. Eventually it did start to get boring, and I knew it wasn't for me so I pretty much dropped it, except for the Super Bowl since it's an opportunity to get together with the family and have some fun.

In regards to TV, you don't have to over-indulge. It's possible to let yourself become temporarily attached to it, to "get into it" for a little while and have some fun without becoming a TV junkie. Practicing moderation is, IMO, one of the keys to enjoying life without over-doing it. Life is full of potentially addictive sensory experiences, but if you hide from them, you throw away not only opportunities for new experiences, you throw away opportunities to exercise willpower. It's about balance. Yin and Yang.

Blaming TV for the problem is like blaming the drug, or the Mcdonalds, or the gun/knife. Everyone's responsible for their own behavior.

@TV haters
I like TV. I don't like all TV shows. I agree that most of them are crap, but some are very engaging. I try to watch only one show at a time, and I use Netflix so there are no commercials. I keep a mental list of shows that I've been meaning to watch. Breaking Bad is the next one on the list, but I'm still trying to find time to finish Dexter.

I don't see how a TV show is different from any other form of art (movies, music, performance). If it's a good production, then it captures a wide scope of human traits and emotions and makes you fall in love with the characters and story. In that sense, a TV show is a lot like life itself.

Even if you are appalled by the false reality of a TV show, it is still a good map by which to determine what "reality" is. Take dreams, for example: I'm sure you aren't so appalled by dreams. On the contrary, understanding dreaming can help you to understand what it means to be awake. Television is the same. It represents a lower level of reality, but an equal level of truth.

I agree with others that ask the OP to be careful making absolute statements, as well as please being more mindful on the overtly emotional reaction.

One very important thing he mentioned though, which seems to have been missed by those that enjoy TV or say that its like any other entertainment, is the significance of the technology itself, not only the content. Quoting solely from wikipedia reading and through listening to Mckenna, but Marshal Mcluhan had some interesting ideas that are relevant here, such as the great importance he put in the vehicle of transmission of a message as being the key, not just the message itself. TV, at least as present in most houses around the world, is a very passive technology, offering a pseudo-interaction through changing channels only. I think this has a negative psychological effect on the observer that sees the `world` but unconsciously receives the message he/she cannot interact with it, only accept what is being shown.

In this sense, I find the computer/internet to be a way more appropriate and beneficial medium of transmission because it inherently presupposes an interactive dialogue (or multilogue). That is also why I mentioned that the `good` content of TV can anyways most times be downloaded and watched on one`s computer.

That being said, I know that nowadays the tendency of technological advances is to connect TV to the internet and so on, but that is still in a minority of houses worldwide and not really what TV has always been.

Last comment, unrelated but, to whoever said youtube has advertisement, you should really get ´adblock´ plugin

Please I dont want anyone to think Im attacking anyone here who uses TV to get away for an hour a day. And no, I specifically do not go to see movies or spend much time on Youtube. I enjoy watching recordings of live concerts on youtube, thats pretty much all I do on youtube.

My problem with it is the generalized load of absolute crap on TV. 99% of television is nonsensical mind suck. Do people really need to watch grown men beat the crap out of each other in a cage, watch a fat 9 year old from Kansas or where ever the hell shes from throw spaghetti at a wall, and watch a bunch of rednecks with a duck call company who were once all clean shaven and white collar fellows act like a bunch of yokels on tv?

If you answer yes to any of this, well then I surely wouldn't hope you group yourself in the "Part of the Solution" column.

Are there good shows? Sure, Im sure there are. Does everyone seek entertainment of some sort? Of course. No argument from me, I do, you do, we all do.

But as I said, the insane amount of fluff people in general get sucked into is what Im talkign about. There is a massive problem with what people are fed and mindlessly accept without even thinking that they could be using their time a little more wisely.

Is that my business? No, and frankly I dont care. But damn, its just sad to see people float thru on autopilot.

I think this supports my position beautifully. Thanks.

It's essentially a mind-numbing effect. It's the same reason that I have ceased to be a movie-goer. I can't really justify paying a money to go sit in front of a giant screen, and I can't be bothered to do that anymore. But I think it was maybe the last time I went to some feature film, I just never got into it, and it was playing in front of me, and everyone else was sucked in, and I was there, and I was just completely separate from it. I pulled out of the trance and then kind of realized well "this is kind of a strange thing to be a part of" and then I think I just left. What would have been a weird thing to do, in my perspective, is to have given a full two hours to something I was never really that into. Now I only pick up original sound tracks. Seems like the better end of the bargain.

And while Im on the topic of mindless floating souls on autopilot accepting whats being shoved down the publics throat, watch this for a moment. It gets repetitive, but 3 minutes should do fine. All of it if you can bare the repetitiveness lol. FF to 0:35 to start

A quote from a movie that i never tire of.


I watch my tv on the internet but i guess the problem i have with that is that it encourages binge watching. Also you tend to look for things which you like and can relate to and i think that it can cosset you. Say i just converse on the nexus. I will get the impression that the world is full of intelligent people who are into expanding their minds. You need a curveball every now and then. I actually think it is important to see a piece of vacuous, cultural effluent every once in a while in order to lift me out of my false sense of security that all is right with the world.
The (tv) program below is dedicated to un-known-ome

Hug46, I love "How TV Ruined Your Life"! It is one of many good british tv shows. I have lived all around the world and IMO TV in the UK takes the cake. Don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of cringe-worthy programs on British television... but there are some real gems out there.

Also, the BBC doesn't have any advertisements whatsoever. Winner in my book

I do agree, I own a TV, but I don't have Channels/Programs. I only use it to play playstation and watch movies from my comp when my friends come around. I dislike the stuff on TV in a degree, 90% crap. The advertising is the worst part tho. It's so usual to have a TV in the living room this days, it has become the main object I feel, something to look at, so we don't need to look at each other all the time, and sometimes when old friends come for a visit they get chocked and stressed out because I don't have a TV.

Tv *Tell lies to your vision*

The way television is these days is a horrid thing in my opinion, I just hate how everyone becomes obsessed with the programs on it. I view TVs like anything else, to watch them in moderation is fine, but the fact that most people can't spend an evening without one, well that just tells me that things are out of balance. In the old days, people didn't watch TV, and I believe that's the reason composers created such original and beautiful music, because surely less TV would be beneficial for creativity, it would allow more brain power.

For me, excessive television, among other things, has created a population of slovenly drones designed to conform. I'm not saying that I don't watch any TV, because I do, I watch movies and sports. I rarely watch drama series or anything, except right now I'm watching the Merlin box sets. So yes, I do watch TV, it just hasn't consumed my life, and it's very much a minor supplement to the odd evening. I think that if anyone watches tons of TV every night and are experiencing imbalances in their life, then they should try to cut down on it and make some healthier lifestyle changes.

I see it first hand, television and junk food go hand in hand, my mum is a prime example. I'm trying my best to help her and change her ways, and I'm slowly getting somewhere with it, it's just a shame that current society seems to send many people down that road, and doctors don't seem to be doing a good job with sorting it out or encouraging healthier lifestyle choices.

Things need to change in my eyes for the benefit of humanity.