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I've heard from some people that they have given up cable TV. I let loose of cable about 5 or 6 years ago. The cost is outrageous, but more important to me is disconnecting from the commercials. I have an antennae for local channels but only watch 1 or 2 shows on occasion. Advertising has gotten out of control with brainwashing our society into buying shit we don't even need. I'm not susceptible to suggestion and question most everything presented to me. I don't have any need to have my world bombarded by corporations telling me what I should buy, who I should be, or any other "should" they try to get me to buy into. Have you given up cable? What's your reasoning?

Wildflower 8 Jan 15
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23 comments

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4

I haven't had any television in 6 years. I seldom miss it. I also got off of fb over a year ago. I find more time to volunteer in my community, visit friends and family and read.

4

I gave up cable about 4 years ago primarily because of the cost. I just couldn't justify it. And like you, I did the antenna thing. My tv died about 2 years ago and I just haven't felt compelled to replace it. So I stream Netflix, Hulu, and Acorn, usually on my phone. Yeah it's a small screen, but I'm used to it. But even Netflix and Hulu have commercials unless you pay the higher rate. I also use the Hotspot from my phone for wifi on my laptop.

3

Yes, it's been at least five years for us. Our reasons were cost creep, absolute crap for our brains, and a satellite tech who refused to put our dish back up after we got a new roof.

I LOVED not suffering the hate-filled campaign ads that my friends were complaining about! (:

Zster Level 8 Jan 15, 2019
3

My daughter still asks me if I still shut off the sound on commercials .

3

As I understand it, commercials were to provide revenue to produce shows. This still applies to network TV. However, the whole concept of cable TV was that you pay directly for it, thus making commercials unnecessary. So why the hell are they everyfuckingwhere? I hate them with a passion. I gave up cable specifically to get away from commercials. I watch everything online. No commercials at all. It's great! And I only watch what I want and nothing more.

That is exactly why I gave up cable. I felt like I was paying double what I should be paying. And I despise commercials!

Why do they still have them even if you already pay directly? Because its more than just to help pay their bills. 1. Avarice and 2. Propaganda. Commercials didn't start to help fund (though no one spits at extra money) the began to get us to do and buy what they (the handful of elite who own conglomerates) want.

@gueronihilista Without a doubt.

2

Not only that... but commercials eat up about 38 minutes of every viewing hour.

Think of how much of your life is wasted with a one-way medium...

2

youtube + Netflix + Yarrrrrrrr... I don't even have open Tv antena eve HDMI cable from the computer, including using it as a speaker for music when I have guests.

2

I only have online streaming. I decided to leave the commercials on hulu because oddly enough that is one of the things I miss about regular TV. I feel like I'm in a bubble not seeing what other people see and what is being pushed in our society. It also gives me opportunities to discuss advertising and its intentions with my kids so they aren't completely uneducated and gullible about it when they leave home.

MsAl Level 8 Jan 16, 2019
2

I plan too as soon as the elderly lady I take care of no long needs it. She is partially blind and finds the T.V. relaxing. I he can hear her changing channel all the time. But I don't watch it.

2

I tried cable, briefly many years ago, but didn't like it. Just seemed like more of the mediocre stuff that one could get on network tv. There may have been some quality programming on the premium channels bu the price was not worth it. I use network tv for my PBS stations. Very very rarely do I look at any of the other commercial containing stations. I use Netflix and have recently taken on a Amazon prime. The Amazon Prime is half price because I am a student.

I do enjoy the local PBS station.

@LimitedLight Well, I already had internet and would have it regardless of whether or not I chose to have Netflix or whatever. The twelve or fifteen bucks a month on top of that does not cost anywhere near a cable tv bundle. So no, I am not paying the same or more than the cost of a bundle. And again, there is nothing on cable of interest to me.

2

Same reasons as you. I get all my entertainment from the internet and Netflix.

BD66 Level 8 Jan 15, 2019

That's all I need.

2

As we moved into a new house, I did not watch cable and the kids seems to be on YouTube and Netflix more than cable to I just cut it and see who complained. Going on 6 years, no complaints yet.

2

Cut the cord years ago. Mostly watch commercial free streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Only watch over the air channels for local news and weather. Commercials are easy enough to mute and give me time to hit the bathroom.

Yes, commercials are good for a bathroom run, or a smoke break. That's about all they're good for.

Just to clarify, I pay for the commercial free Hulu because the cheaper service with commercials will make you shuck the hair off your head. Commercials every 6 minutes!

@BobbyJaan Yes, I pay for Netflix and use my daughter's Hulu account. If it has commercials I don't want it.

@BobbyJaan twenty minutes of commercials every 6 minutes.

1

No cable for over 20 years. Best decision ever.
Paying for a bunch of useless content was my reasoning.
There are a ton of sources to keep connected these days.

1

I gave up TV altogether 20 years ago. I only see/use it when at family or friends with TV’s.

1

I only watch BBC news (no adverts) and the odd thing on Netflix. Its easily affordable here. When I was growing up we didn't have a TV for years as my Dad hated its influence. We were encouraged to read and read newspapers which he felt was more edifying. Obviously when I was a fulltime nurse working 13 hour shifts, there was no time for TV and most of what I watched was the bbc children's channels. Cbeebies...I still remember the songs. Later the kids watched Kerrang (rock music) and I was studying. Nowadays I watch news. I just never got the TV habit, prefering silence or ocassionally music. I would not pay for it as it isn't worth it.

1

Can you name anything that you brought in the last year that wasn't advertised somewhere? If not you may be susceptible to suggestion like the rest of us. 😉

Actually,very little of what I have has been advertised. Maybe food, my car, toilet paper... but I don't own anything fancy, I shop at second hand stores, my TV sets are probably 30 years old, and if I have anything name brand it's been bought pre-owned. I don't allow marketing to take over my mind, I was onto their ploy many many years ago. I have a mind of my own. 😉

@Wildflower Yes, recycling and upcycling are a good way not to be influenced. I do this a lot myself. And fresh food doesn't have a brand. I was influenced to buy a Shark vacuum cleaner recently, but only branded items were available and it was very fit for purpose. Luckily my needs and wants are few.

1

Screw the propaganda box. Books books books!

1

When I was a kid (long, long ago, B&W T.V. era), the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) mandated that T.V. stations could only broadcast one minute of commercials for every fifteen minutes of program broadcast time. However that was changed many years ago and commercial time has increased to the point of what we have today. With the Republicans controlling things, it is not likely that the commercial time will be reduced any time soon. I avoid watching broadcast T.V. by having Netflix moves sent to me via U.S. mail.

When cable TV first came out wasn't it commercial free? Didn't we pay for cable TV so we didn't have to have commercial interruptions? I seem to remember something like that.

@Wildflower I never had cable T.V. (always lived in the country where it was not available) but I am under the impression that they had commercials from the beginning. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

@dahermit Paying for cable and having to watch commercials is like paying double.

@Wildflower I agree. But the Capitalists and oligarchs are in control of the Government (FCC).

1

I did the same thing. I suggest connecting your TV to a computer, using it as your monitor and using the Internet to watch videos on YouTube and many other sites for watching about anything you would enjoy seeing.

Yes. I have a firestick and a chromecast for my TVs. I watch shows that I enjoy on Hulu and Netflix.

@Wildflower I would recommend YouTube for you to try and it is free.

@jlynn37 I haven't quite figured out YouTube.

@Wildflower Don't give up. It can be very rewarding and rich with videos of all kinds. Go to YouTube and in the search bar at the top, type ANYTHiNG there that you might be interested in. Music, documentaries, education, humor, repair or build, computers, etc.

0

I think those of us that are non religious are intelligent true free thinkers so the stupid shit that is the media is an insult to our intelligence.

I tend to agree. Also far less susceptible to suggestion and brain washing.

0

I'm 5 years out and more awake than ever!
TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF TURN IT OFF

0

Mine was shutoff due to lack of payment

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. But I believe you are better off without it.

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