Ang TV... Bow

I’m beginning to wonder… Is it time for me to buy a TV?

In previous entries, I’ve mentioned that my sister and I have agreed that we are not welcoming a TV into our apartment. We realize the pernicious effects of TV on us, which generally means that we could not do anything else but watch TV every chance that we get. I’m such a sucker for television that at times my schedule revolved around the shows that I keep tabs on. Of course that was back when TV was almost my life and nothing else.

For the past ten months I have been living a TV-less life. Since then, I have been almost completely detached from popular culture. I have no idea who are the latest stars and what are the latest gossips. I’m almost completely devoid of what’s in the news too. Without MTV, I have no idea about the latest songs. Much of the updates about the world I get from the net.
At least through the net I can filter the information and entertainment I am getting, albeit with irregularity. Afterall, one of the reasons why my sister and I are against TV is the really despicable things that they are showing on TV these days, especially among the local channels. I can’t believe TV (and all other media) is currently miseducating a generation of Filipinos. Social responsibility is thrown out of the window in the quest for increased viewership, hence profits.

The pretentious ass that I am, deciding not to have any television has become a political statement of sorts. Really, at least my sister and I have been reading books like crazy. Our collection is steadily growing by the week. Reading, I think, is more challenging as you need to consciously process information, whereas TV is spoon-feeding you with information that you don’t actually need.

Increasingly though, I’m feeling alienated by my lack of knowledge about popular culture, a thing that I was relatively good at during my TV days. I can’t join the conversation of my peers when topics are about the latest trends, or about new advertisements. I’m clueless as to who is the hottest star of the moment so I don’t understand why they are gushing over Zanjoe or Pinoy Dream Academy or Philippine Idol and all that crap. I don’t know why I still care being updated of such inanities, but I seriously do.

And of course I terribly miss the TV shows that I totally enjoy watching, like Will and Grace, Survivor, The Amazing Race, ANTM, and a lot of other shows. Thank God for YouTube, last weekend I was watching the latest episode of ANTM. The Amazing Race 10 is also on YouTube now and I can’t be more than excited at orgasmic proportions. Still there a lot of shows that are not on YouTube.

Aside from being isolated from popular culture and not seeing my fave television shows, without TV I can’t watch DVD. I use to hoard DVDs back in Davao. But now I can’t watch international films anymore. I’m at the mercy of the local cinemas for movies. God, watching a movie now is super expensive.

That’s why lately I was seriously contemplating of buying my self a laptop. That involves a load of cash. The question is… who do I need to… okay, that was a joke. Anyway, I had that money set aside for quite some time until an emergency came up that I need to part ways with my savings, hence that laptop would remain a dream as well. At this point, I might have enough funds to buy a second-hand television (and a small one at that) and a cheap DVD player. I’m not sure if I’m willing to bend my stand on the ban against TV as of yet, but I’m mustering enough strength to resist the temptation.

New mantra, TV IS THE ENEMY.