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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Yeah, I've heard it said that TV is a nothing but a waste of time...they advcate such draconian measures as un-plugging the TV set.
As far as television being a waste, well I can see their point and I can only agree to a limited degree. Don't get me wrong..I am far from addicted to the tube...but all things in moderation is the old aphorism, eh? I have no qualms about enjoying a limited amount of personal TV entertainment in the evening after a long day. To say that TV is a waste of time is to imply that all things on TV are time wasters. But honestly folks, I would be a few degrees less than eupeptic if I had to miss my daily serving of M*A*S*H! What think ye'?
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
If we choose only to watch educational programs, what are we educating ourselves for? Are we filling our heads with trivial information that stands to serve no real application in our lives, even though it may for another person? Is it then truly educational or is it now simply entertainment? Is entertainment a waste of time?
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Or to look at it from another aspect, why were we made to waste many years of our lives in school learning such otiose subjects as algebra, trigonometry, etc.?
Personally to answer your query, I don't feel entertainment is a waste of time. If it is, then we magicians are of all men most miserable!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Algebra and trigonometry are devices that can allow your desire to manifest itself with precision.
If you find that you have no need for such things then that was another thing you missed at school! TV is like fast food. easy to digest, cheap and requires little intellect to engauge with little motivation. TV can only be good for people who can moderate their viewing habits and engauge in other aspects of life. It is addictive like opiates and dulls the mind in the same way. If you query this then I pose you this test. No TV for one week! Then you will see how much time you waste by the things you accomplish within that week.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
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Patrick Differ Inner circle 1540 Posts |
Most of the shows on TV are absolute rot. Unless it is something that I like. Commercials and ads are good excuses for changing channels, unless it is something that I need. All the reality shows are a joke, unless they start talking about the reality of making a living. The news in just information, and information is not knowledge.
I'm particularly disappointed with the news. "And tell us...how did you feel...what were you thinking when you saw your three year old son fall down the well?" Gimmeeadarnbreak. I can already tell you how the h#$$ they felt and what they were thinking. Tell me what we're proposing to do to get that kid OUT. TV makes me dumb. TV does the thinking for me. My spoon-feeding days are long over. I rarely watch TV. And no TV for a week? Easy for me. Enough vitriol. I'm going to go play Parcheesi with my kids. Later.
Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again. |
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Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Algebra and trigonometry are as subject as any other examples. One man's food is another's poison, meaning the educational value of something can only be relative to what a particular individual does with it. If something educates, what is the purpose served by that education? Dumping a multitude of good ideas into a box and then locking it up, storing it away, never to be opened again seems to be somewhat pointless. If, on the other hand, this knowlege is put toward productive use, it could easily be viewed differently.
Similarly, the amount of entertainment a person chooses to indulge in, is measurable in it usefulness, as well. Time spent in any indulgence is measurable as wasted or not by what the purpose, or sometimes, the intended purpose of that indulgence is supposed to accomplish. Some things are, or are intended to be more constructive, useful, and productive than others. Balance is necessary, and the fulcrum is not absolute at all times, nor the same for everyone.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
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Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
How many food programs are aired?
How many of those dishes shown are cooked? You see, I am of the type that I view for a purpose (and enjoyment thus moderated), If I see a interesting recipe on the TV I will learn from it and try to reproduce it (with modifications ) There is much to be gained from TV but there is more too loose! ------------------- Michael, the subjects of Algebra and trigonometry are applicable to many human pleasures. It is only when you desire the pleasure that you want the education.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
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JohnLamberti Elite user Los Angeles, CA 420 Posts |
Well, the TV industry puts food on my table and magic books on my shelf, so I'm obviously biased.
All I can suggest is to take everything in moderation. To say that there is nothing good about television is to say that all magicians are social misfits who do nothing but rip one another off. Sure it's true in some cases, but it's a sweeping generality that doesn't acknowledge the fact that TV does, in fact, have some redeeming qualities. If you sit in front of the TV 12 hours a day doing nothing but watching Jerry Springer, it's a bad thing. But if you Tivo a few quality programs, and then watch them when you have the time, you'll probably enjoy yourself. Ice cream is good, but you wouldn't want to eat a gallon of it at at time. Same with TV. |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-10-09 16:27, Partizan wrote: I have actually gone for several weeks at a time with no TV. I kept my mind ocupied in other pursuits and it did not occur to me to even turn the thing on. So that proves to me I can do it if I choose. But I still like my M*A*S*H! Posted: Oct 9, 2005 9:03pm Reply with quote Send a Private Message View Profile of daffydoug Edit/Delete This Post Report this post to forum moderator View Posters IP (Moderators/Admins Only) Quote: On 2005-10-09 19:08, JohnLamberti wrote: Well, the TV industry puts food on my table and magic books on my shelf, so I'm obviously biased. All I can suggest is to take everything in moderation. To say that there is nothing good about television is to say that all magicians are social misfits who do nothing but rip one another off. Sure it's true in some cases, but it's a sweeping generality that doesn't acknowledge the fact that TV does, in fact, have some redeeming qualities. If you sit in front of the TV 12 hours a day doing nothing but watching Jerry Springer, it's a bad thing. But if you Tivo a few quality programs, and then watch them when you have the time, you'll probably enjoy yourself. Ice cream is good, but you wouldn't want to eat a gallon of it at at time. Same with TV. Excellent anology! Now we're talking sense!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Lee Darrow V.I.P. Chicago, IL USA 3588 Posts |
"Live life. Take big bites. Moderation is for monks." - Robert A. Heinlein
Truer Words... I watched something on the Discovery Channel this afternoon called Isaac's Storm about the 1900 hurricane in Galveston that destroyed 3,400 buildings and killed 6,000 people. It was the biggest disaster the United States has ever seen. And there was more fodder in that show for Halloween and a bizarre act that I could ise in a lifetime. "Vast wasteland," my patootie! That may have been true when Marshall MacLuhan said it almost forty years ago, but I disagree with it now. You just have to know what to watch and where to look. Lee Darrow, C.H. "Information becomes knowledge when you figure out HOW to USE it!" - Lee Darrow
http://www.leedarrow.com
<BR>"Because NICE Matters!" |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Very apt, Lee.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
Quote:
You just have to know what to watch and where to look. And how would a person make this judgment without a good grounding in knowledge?
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
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saxmangeoff Veteran user Moscow, ID, USA 353 Posts |
Anything with Red Green on it can't be all bad.
Geoff
"You must practice your material until it becomes boring, then practice it until it becomes beautiful." -- Bill Palmer
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evolve629 Inner circle A stack of 3838 Posts |
Ha, Red Green and the mighty duck tape... I can't live without the FrontLine from PBS, FoodNetwork, the History Channel, and the Forensic Files from Discovery.
One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in - Wayne Gretzky
My favorite part is putting the gaffs in the spectators hands...it gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside! - Bob Kohler |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-10-10 21:05, evolve629 wrote: I love the forensic files. I watch that literally glued to the set...it's better than Columbo because it's non fictional. It never ceases to amaze me how they track someone, a complete stranger, down and nail them with little miniscule clues. I think that is SO cool!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-10-09 16:27, Partizan wrote:...No TV for one week!... Can try this with a TiVo. Set it grab your shows for the week, and then unplug the TV. Experience how you feel after one evening and then another. How do I know this? The cable went out on Saturday night and was out till Monday.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Vandy Grift Inner circle Milwaukee 3504 Posts |
It can be helpful, when looking at what is on television to realize something.
Televison exists to advertise. that's it. The commercials are not filler, the PROGRAMMING is the filler. It's there to keep you around to watch the ads. The programming is there for the commercials, not the other way around.
"Get a life dude." -some guy in a magic forum
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Big Jeff Loyal user 300 Posts |
Sports, Sports Sports, tonight baseball playoffs(GO ANGELS) at 5 and Hockey(go KINGS) at 7:30. My night is full.
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Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
I think television has its benefits. I also think it is a highly addictive and creativity-sapping drug. Case in point - my sister lives with her husband and four children in a 100-year-old farmhouse in southern Virginia. They don't own a TV and the kids are homeschooled. My 10-year-old nephew is testing at a 7th grade level. He can juggle four balls while riding a unicycle. He built his own magic show from odds & ends (even fooling me with a thumbtip he made from cardboard and tape) using a copy of Mark Wilson's course. He's mastered over 47 complicated balloon sculptures and sells them at the local weekend flea markets. He is 90% self-taught...because he doesn't have the draining influence of the telly to hold him back. He's my idol and my incentive for cutting WAY back on my own telly watching.
Just say "No" to the Remote! Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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Partizan Inner circle London UK 1682 Posts |
You don't need to make TV compulsory, it already is.
They are even forced to watch it in prison as part of the punishment. They found that without TV, people formed their own ideas and were far more motivated in putting their new ideas into practise. That is the last thing you want criminals too do! (or governments want you too do!) Posted: Oct 12, 2005 2:05am Let me expand my first trial (1 week of no TV) to include a whole nation for a month. I wonder how a nation of people would cope without TV for a month.
"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus."
- Mark Twain |
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