10 Reasons to Watch Less Television
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- čas přidán 6. 06. 2024
- Life is meant to be lived, not watched.
Harvard study linking increased screen time to obesity:
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Hey guys! Just wanted to let you know that my new book, Things That Matter, is finally here. I put my heart into it, and I can’t wait to share it with you. You can pick up a copy at www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/676394/things-that-matter-by-joshua-becker/
I gave up TV completely over 4 years ago after my husband died. Because of his poor health it was about all he could do except read. I DON’T MISS TV AT ALL! Too many other things to do that are productive. Thank you for focusing in on such truths!!! 🤗
So sorry for your loss!♥️ That's an amazing accomplishment! My Best to you!
Sorry for your loss Bless you
I hope & pray I can join your club!!!!
I loved this line from the video and will remember it: "Life is meant to be lived, not watched."
People ask me how I read 150+ books a year and I always answer that I don't watch TV. There's always a reaction. We have time for what we value.
@Magna Morbucks 462 I recommend starting with 10-15 minutes and growing to an hour :)
@Magna Morbucks 462 Oh I mean reading :)
Watch however much TV you like!
It really depends on what you like. I mean, when books started to be sold at affordable prices, people thought about books in a similar way as we think of video games: they would trap the youngest's mind and they would become zombies. You read 150 books and follow (maybe) a fictional story or read about how to solve the climate change problem. But you are still reading, not living THE life. So I don't see the difference here between reading 150 books or watching 150 hours of tv. And I am a teacher and a librarian! So I guess it depends on the use of your time and how much value/pleasure you get from what you are doing. Hugs!
How true Joshua. I came home from work and watch the news - depressing, have tea, watch tv and go to bed (repeat the next day) and I say I don’t have time to declutter ! I will (try) to commit to watching things that I want to rather than watching anything to fill in the time.
Very true. I do not watch TV during the day because I realized it's a time waster. We got rid of cable over 15 yrs ago because we wanted to pay off our cc debt & house. We've not missed it & even though our cc debt & house are paid off, we've not felt the need to get it again. Great video.
Let me tell you I work as a hospice nurse and get deeply involved in the lives of people and their families every day. Real life is nothing like what's portrayed on social media or fictionalized on TV
I'm a teacher in a developed country. Tell me about it, hehehe.
Some interesting ideas I had not considered. I got rid of my TV over two years ago, and I haven’t regretted it once.
6 and at half years for me .
Great truths. A sibling of mine proudly states she hardly watches TV, but she is on youtube hours on end following whatever trend fad she is following on her whim (food fantics, tiny home, traveling). I am talking about preoccupation with it. The topic of TV also means any screen- Phones and tablet, ipad as well.
Exactly! Screens of any kind!❤️
We live in a frightening society. Many young adults want to have a Kardashian experience. Drama is valued over a safe routine. Avoid media. Watch movies selectively.
I gave up tv 14 years ago after being embarrassed watching a commercial with my son. I never regretted it.
We should file a class action lawsuit against the NFL for how many Viagra and Cialis commercials we all had to watch with our fathers every football sunday growing up...
I don't watch any television because there's nothing interesting on it. And I hate ads! I watch CZcams instead! 😃
I agree we can benefit from watching less! same goes for youtube!
instead of keeping up with the vloggers that you like, get in touch with one of your real life friends.
instead of watching someone clean their house or a grocery haul or a shop with me, shut off the video and go clean your own house and get groceries that will help you make delicious meals for the next week.
instead of watching a vlog made by an artist working on their work or talking about their work, go do something creative you've been putting off.
instead of watching a youtube video about someone's opinion on the books they've read, go read a book you've been wanting to read.
there are so many useless youtube videos out there but thank you for being a useful and valuable channel!
I like to watch/listen to my favorite CZcamsrs while cleaning and cooking. It can be motivating and it's multi-tasking work with leisure time.
@Jennifer K thank you for reading! Have a splendid day.
Life is meant to be lived not watched. So true!
We have not had a tv since 2010 and we seriously limit online time as well. And adhere to the adage that we are what we watch, listen to, read etc.
You can say the same thing about social media.
I totally agree, watching too much TV whether it be TV, CZcams, social media or whatever screen time takes up our time, it’s just too much and totally impacts our lives, many times for the negative. Thank you so much for this video!
I agree with this so much! We have young children and I got fed up with our T.V. routine (although by average standards we still didn't watch much) and I packed up our television for five months. Life was wonderful! After a while we didn't miss it...until Christmas came. I had a hard time enjoying the holiday without some of our classics. So we brought the T.V. back. We are still very limited on what we watch but it's so hard to keep a good balance. We only let ourselves watch a movie on the weekends and it has to be from our small DVD collection. The mama bear in me is so sensitive to the messaging targeting our kids. Almost all new movies we avoid. However, as a homeschool mom I love the t.v. as a supplement for learning history, science, and foreign language. Gah! I feel so torn!
I wholeheartedly agree with you. I’m also a long time homeschooling mama bear who is fierce about protecting our children’s innocence at all cost. I understand completely how you feel torn!
To me, it does not sound like you should be torn! It sounds like you have a good balance, and your motivation of wanting to protect your kids is a good compass. 💜
This year my husband and I have started only watching tv or movies after 8 pm. We used to usually eat dinner in front of the tv, and then spent most of the evening with the television on. Now that we've started following this rule, we don't even watch tv every day, or we'll watch one or two episodes of a show on Netflix and call it a night. It's been so good for us - even just the fact that we eat dinner at the table and focus on each other! Having the permission to still watch a show every day if we wanted to doesn't make it feel forbidden and therefore desirable, and having the boundary of only having a specific time frame when we can watch leaves so much time for other things that fill our lives more.
Yeah…but it also takes my mind off the hell hole that is the world by comedy, romance, and action. Movies are pretty awesome too.
Everything in moderation I think 🤔 the people on here saying I gave up TV 📺 being proad as a peacock 🦚 about it are Missing the point ☝️ how much time are they on the internet and how much time are they reading 📚 books can be just as bad as tv shows if you are over doing it and letting it get in the way of living. if you are giving up a night of going out with your friends to read a romance novel instead of watching TV 📺 you are still missing out on life . I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying it's not about throwing out your TV 📺 it's about get your life in order !
I don't watch TV but you're absolutely right, also a lot of the same can be said about social media as well
Great video! I guess it is all about balance. I really enjoy to watch programms of my own selection on TV, NetFlix and CZcams. I love British and Scandinavian crime series and find this a great way to relax next to reading, exercising and spending time with loved one. As long as it is limited in time and not numbing/too much time consuming I think it's okay. Also with digital TV as well as CZcams and Netflix you can skip the commercial breaks.
Joshua, you reminded me of a scene from the TV series "Mad Men", the series about people in the advertising business in New York City. Peggy Olson is talking with a man, maybe they're on a date, and he said that advertising had no influence on him. Peggy then said something like, "That shows it's working".
Lately I've been making more time for reading physical books and just last night finished an excellent collection of stories by Joyce Carol Oates. I read a terrific book and will now donate the book to the Little Free Library down the street and I will have that much more space in my living space as another book is read then donated.
As a LFL steward thank you for donating your good books!
@@sfowler1017 It's a pleasure to leave books at the Little Free Library. Just this afternoon I was at the bookstore in my local public library and in the bookstore there are some racks of free books. I took some of them to the Little Free Library which I like to keep stocked even though I'm not in charge of it. Among the books I left was a collection of O.Henry short stories and that wonderful, extraordinary novel "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak.
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO!!! I needed this video to break my tv watching addiction!!!!
Well said, Joshua! Thank you for bringing this to light.
I absolutely agree with this 100%!!! We do not own a TV, we don't want this influence pumped right into our peaceful home life. The world is in such an uproar these days.... afraid, fretting, worrying, I believe because they are glued to the TV. then like you mentioned, the shows and commercials we watch, try to frame our minds, in an unrealistic way (I will be prettier, happier, healthier, etc, if I buy this certain item) or why can't I be living like this certain family on this TV show? Etc. Thanks for another great video!
I gave up TV/cable/streaming services over 10 years ago. When people ask me why, or what do I do, I say, about life:
"I participate, not spectate".
One of the reasons I gave it up was my co-workers talking about Friends episodes. I never saw the show as I had hobbies, or classes, or sports that I did after work. I could not comprehend the fascination. I asked my co-workers: "Instead of sitting home by yourself, watching imaginary "friends" on TV, why not go out to the coffee show & spend a fun evening with your real friends ??"
Very true, way too much screen time. But I have to say that we watch competition type shows and sporting events as a family and it is a fun connection as talk about the show or sporting event as much as we watch. I have cut out watching news and any dramas to cut down on the constant violent images. I keep up on news stories through radio. Thank you for another great reminder post.
Powerful message! Thank you for reminding me of this terrible habit🙄
I like to listen to audiobooks and podcasts as a substitute. I still watch TV, but I could definitely stand to cut back. Thanks!
If i had no telly I’d miss Schitts Creek, watching it on Netflix lol, plus I’m a News watcher, but i admit at the moment i generally end up in tears, Thankyou for the vlog Joshua x
Insightful video, thank you!
Been waiting for a vid like this. So true!
Another good word right there. Soooo Good. THANK YOU.
This is so powerful!
Time can never be redeemed. Once it's gone, it's gone. Life is to short to waste it in front of a television watching people that have an occupation to pretend to be something or someone they are not. Live your best life, live life well,live fully present.
The ‘clear solution’ and ‘wrapped up in a bow’ comments are so insightful; really, food for thought.
I start watching tv & have a HARD TIME TEARING MYSELF AWAY FROM IT because I'd rather watch it than de-clutter my house because seeing it is so overwhelming!!! Thank you for your CZcams videos on de-cluttering & explaining difference between de-cluttering & re-organizing!!!❤❤
Thank you for addressing the.subject of television. It is such a waste of time and there are too many programmes that corrupt the mind.
My dad came home from work early one day and found my brother and me watching TV. He asked my mom what we were doing inside on such a nice day. She said we watched that show every day and he said, "Not any more." He took the TV to the pawn shop and we never had another one. I credit so much of my life successes to not wasting itime n from of a screen. You are SO on target here. Thanks!
I haven't had a TV since 2006 but I suppose some of this also applies to CZcams videos and fiction books that I do partake in.
There have been some great studies that show the many benefits to the brain when reading fiction as opposed to watching TV. To feel entertained and be relaxed, reading a book is much better alternative. And I think it depends on what you are watching on CZcams.
Reminds me that many years ago there was a book I read called Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. i just checked and it's still available.
I agree with all these points! I only watch DVDS and CZcams mainly for escape.
That’s pretty much the same thing 🤣
@@TheNerdistheWord But on CZcams you can search for whatever you want at the time. You have more choice and you can watch it when it's convenient for you unlike television! 😁
He’s talking about time wasted in front of a screen. Same thing. He’s saying the escape shouldn’t be a screen but the people and the world. I don’t agree. I love TV, tv shows, and movies. They’re highly creative. Movie night is our thing and we love it. If only we got paid to be a “movie critic” ❤️
@@TheNerdistheWord I agree with you! I really enjoy movies for entertainment and escape! I do all my boring shit during the week and watching something interesting is always fun! I don't have a family so movies is my entertainment. I don't spend all day in front of the screen though.
Any ideas about what to do after work and dinner when I’m just really tired from my day and I don’t feel like I’m sharp enough in the evening to do a project. I would appreciate any ideas 😊
Soooo good!So true!
Great video!
i totally agree. i quit when i started living alone. it's all the same crap, especially things are are supposed to be funny and are on weekly. i do have Hulu, which i mostly use for exercise videos, and occasional trips back in time to catch 25 year old series, realizing it's not real life....St. Elsewhere, things like that. i have always hated situation comedies. i love not hearing the sound of any of that in my living space.
I hate watching TV because I can't block ads and commercials (the only time I don't mind is on Thanksgiving, the only day of the year where I make a conscious choice to watch actual TV - the rest of the time, it was just on at work) - 10 minutes of commercials for every 5 minutes of a movie that I actually wanted to watch that just happened to be on when I sat down (was in a lobby on my grad school campus - I can't get actual TV at home), so it took and hour and a half to watch the last half hour of the movie; that's why I loved having group access to a Netflix subscription: zero ads, and I could watch only what I wanted, only when I wanted. I use ad blockers at home, so I don't ever have to see anything on any webpage that I don't want to see - I can block literally anything I want. If it weren't for CZcams, though, there would be certain significant aspects of my life that would be really miserable right now, because I never would have learned how to make them better - things I've learned from REAL PEOPLE living their REAL LIVES.
Another excellent video
I watch shows like yours and baking shows I have cooked so much this winter!
My favorite CZcams channel!!
You're right.
Preach it, Mr. Becker!
I have no TV for 27 years now 😜
Is it possible at some point that you could highlight something we're doing right? Just wondering.
Certainly worth a thought
We have TV but not subscribed to cable…haven’t been for years. Everything is online now.
Great message . Same goes for phones . Although they are indeed a great tool to humanity they can definitely take away our creative thoughts . With countless of influencers out there it's no wonder anyone is not their self anymore .
Lieber Joshua! Ich verfolge alle deine Videos seit einigen Jahren und finde jedes einzelne toll. Leider ist mein Englisch nicht so gut, da ich aus Deutschland komme. Viele Inhalte verstehe ich erst wenn ich mir die Kommentare übersetzen lasse.
Ich würde mit wahnsinnig freuen, wenn du deine Videos mit Untertitel senden könntest.
Liebe Grüße
yup.
Thank you so much!! Everythung you mentioned is so true!! Some people can sit there forever, ESPECIALLY during the pandemic!!! It's affected their weight and overall health!! I've told my friends that I turn the TV OFF when they call me and could they do the same PR just watch TV if it's thast jmportant to them and we can talk anither time!! VERY ANNOYING AND RUDE!! THANK YOU AGAIN!, as,always♥️
Convicting.. thank you. We don’t have a tv but we do have Netflix..
I normally would agree with you Joshua... And I usually don't watch so much tv ect actually.. But these days, living in Europe and as one of the few NEUTRAL countries, we need to get the most current and correct information according to what his happening right now in the very close neigbour country that is in war right now...
Threats from the man in the east have been made to Sweden and Finland ordering us not join N A T O...
Sweden is a peaceful and small country.
Who have stayed away from wars for 300 years and we want it to still be that way... 💖🤗🙏🏻
I guess this also applies to youtube... 🙄
Could you make a video like this about video games?
Absolutely I agree I don’t have a tv
Amen! Truth bomb.
A common conversation with ppl goes like this
Me "do you watch a lot of TV?"
Them "no I don't."
Me "oh really what do you in your spare time?"
Them "I watch Netflix a lot."
Me thinking "oops sorry I'm old fashioned but just cos it's not on a television it's still the same concept and activity 😂"
Haha you’re right. It’s still the same thing. Another conversation I’ve had:
I don’t have a TV.
What do you do in your spare time?
Watch The Walking Dead on my laptop.
SAME THING PEOPLE.
I’m not knocking them. I love TV and even more, movies.
@@TheNerdistheWord yes exactly! It's so funny how acceptable it is to binge watch shows now.
I think it's called entrainment .
These days I need to keep up with the news so I watch that every day; also PBS on the weekends - no ads - has provided a wealth of knowledge and entertainment, introducing me to music and art I wouldn't have found otherwise. For cheap at-home entertainment where you don't have to risk your health sitting in a crowded theater, you can't beat TV movies for escape and enjoyment. You do have some good points, although there are people like myself that are immune to tv ads (seriously).
I haven’t had TV for 18 years. I left social media 2 years ago. However, this can apply to CZcams for me. Even with “learning” about cooking, organizing, gardening, political stuff, and so on… I need to be DOING these things more instead. Usually I’m watching while doing things. I could be more efficient just focusing on the task.
Does CZcams count? I don’t have cable but I do have streaming.
💯 🇬🇧 I watch minimal TV (really only films, sports, documentaries and the odd 'entertainment' show. You enjoy a TV show more as a treat when you dont watch it constantly. Nowhere near the scale of what my parents watch - 6/7 hours each weekday and approx 30 hours at the weekend. Way too much! Thats like 65 hours a week! They have done so since me and my sisters went to high school 25 years ago! I think when people don't have hobbies or don't want to go places, TV is just a 'time filler' for silence or they are too tired to do anything else. Excessive TV makes you tired! I just dont know how they can sit there in front of the TV routinely like that - they dont even enjoy what they are watching and complain! It's far too draining after a few hours and you're wasting so much of living real life creating memories. It's just the 'go to' thing people do, especially when they are not in a happy healthy marriage. When you're a creative person as well you're not interested in filling all your free time with TV. You could achieve so much more if you turn the TV off - I'm writing a book! But I suppose it depends what you want out of life isn't it? I certainly couldn't watch 65 hours of TV a week! It's not natural and healthy for the brain.
I haven't turned my tv on in several months. And I don't miss it. If I do turn it on it's to watch a documentary, something on Nat Geo, Discovery Channel or curiosity stream. If I don't feel good and don't want to read, I may turn on a movie I've heard of, it only if I want something mindless. Again, generally when I don't feel well.
Great 👍.
rightly said.
thanks for saying that.
*Life is to live not to watch*
Very well said.
It is going to be my slogan from now on.
Thanks.
Very cool video
Timely. I unplugged the tv 5 days ago. I realized I was using it too much when overwhelmed by things. I plan to consciously go back to it but only recorded to avoid commercials and generally old comedy, tcm, midsummer for atmosphere. Will look for older English sitcoms as well. Stand up and educational on youtube. I learned a lot with hgtv but the crazy noisy bad acting for supposed excitement production value irritates me now. Most things are way too edited, noisy, and manipulative. Getting 3 times as much done. Stuff I was putting off waaaayyyy too much!🤦♀️😂😊 My senior Dad is attached to the murder documentaries and history of war. Real life but the worst of it. No thanks.
I LOVE watching murder documentaries!! It becomes addicting. So so interesting and I get invested in the story!
@@19xxmichelle Interesting, definitely but for me I usually feel sick and unsettled after watching them. Once you start it IS really hard to stop for the day. I try to avoid now realizing this. I think so much about the stories that it actually exhausts me sometimes.
10 great reasons👍
We watch 1- 1 1/2 hours a day. The half hour is always comedy to help us fall asleep before bed
U r correct.x
I haven't watched television for over e years and I don't miss it at all.
We don't own a TV. We got rid of ours when we transitioned from analog to digital. We live in a rural area and didn't want to subscribe to a service, so we ditched the television. It hasn't been missed!
We watch very little TV. Certainly less than an hour per day. We only have one in our apartment (came with the apartment). Last TV I bought was in 2004. No cable, no satellite, no subscriptions other than NFL Gamepass. But I could definitely stand to watch less CZcams. At least much of that is a little more real.
I watch 2 shows. My police officer husband hated one , Law & Order and shows like that. I understand whats real but many don't so you hear "why don't you do this or that?" often. I find most shows depressing now.
Thank you for sharing.
I stop for cabel in December 2018.
2019
2020
2021
2022
I don't miss.
I was intrudeced to YUTUBE by my daughter Aaliyah. During pandemic Feb 2020. I discovered & learned so much thru YUTUBE videos. I watch minimalist channels, frugal, saving money, less clutter, simple life. I watch videos to learn to better my lifestyle & in just few years my finance & family relationship got so much better. I do watch but I watch crime documentaries.
Thank you.
😞Like I know everything your saying is correct BUT my life is so boring that the only way for me not to watch t.v. is to just not have one. I got rid of mu cable February 2021 but now I find myself watching 24/7 CZcams on my spouse's t.v. IT'S the same addiction in my book. I would have to get rid of all tv and all internet for this to happen.
Joshua, your thoughts on iPad, phone binge watching including CZcams and any video watching where you can also spend hours.
Pretty similar to my thoughts here.
People still watch TV? 😳
I grew up watching too. much TV which included MTV, VH1, ha! Luckily we only had one TV set. I refuse to let TVs in my kids’ rooms but of course they’ll use laptops and iPads so I’m not pretending I’m perfect. I got so upset at my kids I took our big tv down the mantle and stuffed it my closet. It’s stayed there for months now. Thanks for the video.
I too think that TV is massively overwatched and a poor use of people’s time, who aim for wisdom and happiness. Even with our (potential or actual) partners I believe it raises the bar so high as to how they should look, how much money they are expected to make, or what (esteemed) job they should have, that is raises unfounded residual malcontent in people - important people - that like us, are only human.
The marketing society in general I believe is a devil. But there are few places to run, or hide.....
We must, instead, ‘Go our own way’, and congregate with others that think likewise on the journey.
Josh you're such a guy (#9)!🤭 I gave up TV a year-and-a-half ago not consciously but I found I had lost interest and the next thing you know I wasn't watching it. I don't miss it in fact I find it kind it annoying.
Yes!! 😊
I work in the film and TV industry and don't have a TV. Is that odd? :D
Great! Except reading is the same as watching TV, unless you are learning, which you can do through video as well. Everything else is so true. Thanks!
I don’t actually think that’s true. Television affects the brain in far different ways than reading. Countless studies show what happens in the brain during reading compared to watching television.
@@JoshuaBecker Thank you so much for answering my comment! I would be interested in knowing more about the studies that spoke to you. My point was about the time we spend isolated from others, and life, while we dedicate it to watching/reading fantasy. Would you mind sharing more about those differences and how it impacts the brain in distinct ways? Thank you again for sharing your knowledge.
Time to get rid of the box, it’s been sitting in my hallway for a while now!!
How about a podcast asking viewers how they have learned to watch less tv-using tops from Atomic Habits. How have you made it obvious that you want to watch less tv? I keep a very pretty cloth draped over my wall mounted tv. How do you find less tv satisfying? I journal about getting to bed on time, take notes in my journal about how satisfied I feel. My journal is pretty so the habit of less tv and more journaling feels attractive. Etc. Professor Jean Erdman
I don't have a podcast.
Since 30 years i live without TV... i never missed it 😊
Unfortunately I gave up tv bcz I switched to the mobile
In all my adult life, advertising has not been a real influence to me when i buy something.
Food and drinks: i buy what i like, and don't change.
Everything else i buy what i can afford. And usually the things they advertise are the more expensive brands.
I check the stores websites and filter what i need an appliance must have or be able to do.
If i have my list, i go for the cheapest option.
For almost anything food and drink related, i buy store brands (no commercials for store brands here in my country).
I am somewhat influenced by advertising. But in the opposite way.
If a product is really that good, they don't need commercials to let people buy it.
So i mostly stay away from what i see on tv.
Since starting to minimize, the tv had to go. Canceled cable, but kept it for the internet. Sadly, I have found ways to watch news and other brain wasting, time wasting activities. Have to make this a wake up call to change me, and not blame the tv.
I have not had a television for 29 years I should just say 30 years. So I don’t have to listen to this but thank you for telling everybody how distracting the whole box is