Why is watching TV considered, "unproductive?"

[CyberCubed]

So I'm sure you've all heard this before, that watching TV is "unproductive" or "rots your brain" or "its an idiot box." Also calling you a couch potato or to get a life. And you're often told to go read a book or get a hobby. But why?

I've always figured watching a show you really like or enjoy is anything but unproductive. Its a form of entertainment, and especially if its a show with good writing or characters, it makes you really think about them or their situations as if they were real. Watching through some of your favorite shows or watching something new for the first time is just as much mentally satisfying as reading a book or having a hobby.

Now I understand people who do nothing all day but channel surf and watch junk on TV are where this stigma comes from, but for those of us who watch good shows we enjoy, why is it unproductive?

Videogames have this stigma too, to be honest, especially among older people who see videogames as a complete waste of time. Thoughts?

[sdp]

It is sort of a waste of time, but I see your point. At least when you're reading you're expanding your vocabulary and imagining a bunch of stuff but I would say reading fiction all the time can be as much waste of time as watching a well written movie. I think when people say pick up a book instead they probably mean non-fiction, in which case it is a better past time since you're learning something.

Videogames may help some reflexes but the average action game or platformer with simple/standard puzzles aren't going to benefit you in many ways outside of videogames. So yeah it is sort of a waste of time, everything has to have a balance and not obsess with one thing. I don't watch TV or play videogames much so I feel I don't waste my time with them.

However I do think it's a bit hypocritical for people to judge TV and videogames and yet they spend all their time on their smartphone or using their computer for youtube videos/facebook. That's as much of a waste of time as watching any TV show or videogame.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

As a writer of fiction, watching TV isn't usually a waste of my time because it's feeding my creativity. Every new character, story, and plot is grist for my mill. Now, video games ARE a waste of my time... that's like my writing junk food.

But watching TV or a movie? Writer's brain food, along with reading.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

As a writer of fiction, watching TV isn't usually a waste of my time because it's feeding my creativity. Every new character, story, and plot is grist for my mill. Now, video games ARE a waste of my time... that's like my writing junk food.

But watching TV or a movie? Writer's brain food, along with reading.

THIS!! Also, depends on the video game. I've gotten some really great inspiration from some of my favorite games, too. My game/fantasy story world has bits of Final Fantasy, Elder Scrolls Ovlivion/Morrowwind/Skyrim, and Dragon Age among the other fantasy elements incorporated into it over the years. In fact, I actually created an entire race based on the FFVII Cactaurs!

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy

Now, video games ARE a waste of my time... that's like my writing junk food.

Why are videogames a waste of time? A good single player videogame has more entertainment value than most.

[Ninja Arnold]

I don't know. Its fun to me to watch TV. I'm finding even more of my time going to it.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Why are videogames a waste of time? A good single player videogame has more entertainment value than most.

Well, the games that I typically would play were the older generations (Gameboy, SNES, etc). I've made a firm stance that IF I ever get into newer games, it will be for "The Last of Us" and "Mass Effect." But for the games I played... not much inspiration from Pokemon or Mario.

[ssjup81]

I always thought people would say this because people would spend endless hours just sitting in front of the television and not actually going out and being productive or how it can hinder one's imagination, as opposed to say reading where you have to imagine everything yourself. That aside, I didn't even know people still said this. Seems I heard that more when I was a kid.

[BubblyShell22]

I don't think it's unproductive if you're watching a show you enjoy when it's on TV. However, I do think it's unproductive if people just watch TV all day and don't do anything else. I personally read more than I watch TV and only watch TV if there's something on during the day. If there isn't, then I do most of my TV watching at night and leave it at that. And the times where there isn't anything on, I read a book, write fan fiction, listen to music, and that's it.

I don't think reading a book is unproductive because you're expanding your vocabulary and getting introduced to different worlds.

Video games aren't bad, but again, there has to be a balance between playing video games and doing other things.

Personally, I think being on the Internet can be unproductive if you do it all day and don't do anything else. Balance is the key to everything.

[Prowler]

Because TV programming, for the most part, is garbage that appeals to the lowest common denominator. Let's face it, most people who sit on their couch watching TV all day long aren't the kind that watches quality entertainment. If you do nothing but watch reality tv and soap operas all day long, you'll get braindead.

Books, while thee's plenty of crappy ones as well, are considered a more intellectual hobby because people who read a lot usually know where to look for quality novels and reading often is proved to be good for intellectual stimulation, unlike TV where you're just being spoonfed information a lot of it questionable... but couch potatoes are unlikely to question such information.

Obviously nowadays it's trickier since people can watch TV shows and movies everywhere and not just on TV anymore. So if you spend a lot of time watching documentaries on youtube and such, I don't think it's safe to say that TV is rotting your brain.

[CyberCubed]

This is about if people watch high-quality television, or their favorite cartoons or anime.

Obviously the people who sit there watching Jerry Springer and America's Next Top Model all day aren't exactly brimming with intelligence.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

This is about if people watch high-quality television, or their favorite cartoons or anime.

Obviously the people who sit there watching Jerry Springer and America's Next Top Model all day aren't exactly brimming with intelligence.

Obviously I don't consider someone an idiot for watching cartons/anime or high quality TV. Dunno if society does it either, considering we're living in a time where TV shows are considered to be on par with movies.

[BubblyShell22]

I watch some reality TV, but I also watch dramas, cartoons, and pro wrestling, so there you go. It's all about what you like.

[Jephael]

It's all about moderation when you get right down to it. Too much of anything can't be healthy.

[Krutch]

Guess I'll be the bad guy here.

Watching television and playing video games, unless it is for the purpose of bettering your current state of life, is by definition unproductive. And considering how narrow the likelihood is that beating Pokemon or binging Orange is the New Black will somehow make your life better, I'm gonna go with yeah, its unproductive.

I write. I'm trying to write for a living, actually. So when I watch TV or movies, I always like to think I'm "doing research" or "getting inspired". But really, what could I possibly see that I haven't in other things by now? I'm 30 years old. I have an enormous catalogue of material I've seen and played that I can draw from. And even if there IS something out there thats new and isn't derivative, and could serve to inspire me, are you telling me that I couldn't have written something without having seen it?

Don't get me wrong: I love getting invested in television shows. I'm watching the eleventh damn season of Supernatural. I've seen each episode of Smallville multiple times. And Buffy? Don't get started. But add those hours up. Thats an insane amount of hours spent that I could have used to do something else like write, work out, budget, build something, pick up a new skill, become something better than I am. But, I want to see Xander talk about yellow crayons. I want to see Chloe get her first break at the Daily Planet. And I want to see Sam and Dean saving people, hunting things: the family business.

Film and Videogames are both great mediums to utilize. You can use it to endlessly educate and creatively experiment. It has an important place. But unless you can guarantee that you'll learn an important life lesson through it, it's simply not "productive". It's candy. And has become social candy for the water cooler talks. And that's all well and good; like candy is.

But productive? Nope. Not by a long shot.

[Leo656]

I think multiple re-watchings of Smallville might be worth some kind of award for "LEAST Productive", actually.

[Allio]

"why is watching tv considered unproductive"

what is this. the 90's?

[Krutch]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I think multiple re-watchings of Smallville might be worth some kind of award for "LEAST Productive", actually.

I'm pretty sure I saw you defend the Freddy and Jason remakes in another thread. Your opinion is null and void

[Jephael]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I think multiple re-watchings of Smallville might be worth some kind of award for "LEAST Productive", actually.

[Allio]

Originally Posted by Krutch

I'm pretty sure I saw you defend the Freddy and Jason remakes in another thread. Your opinion is null and void

meh, the 2009 Friday the 13th movie was actually a pretty dead on Friday the 13th movie.