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Life is sometimes sort of okay because...

Started by House of Usher, 23 March, 2009, 05:17:47 PM

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manwithnoname

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 17 January, 2018, 11:07:36 AM
The biggest boon not owning a tv brings to my life is the absence of adverts - some of which are probably for Spa Wars (which I never heard of until this thread).  When I go to friends' homes now and they have the telly on it feels like an inebriated spectral mendicant is vomiting into my brain.

I don't have an issue with advertising, good advertising can be entertaining and also valuable. It's also an integral part of many content business models; essentially it's either ad-funded or sub-funded.

So ITV vs Netflix

But whatever you choose, the "funded" bit is essential.

The biggest issue with advertising has been exacerbated by digital platforms, with zero quality control, and invasive personal data-led advertising, so you get an avalanche of shitty advertising, in disruptive formats, chasing you around the internet and totally ruining the user experience.

So that's not helping. But good content requires someone, somewhere, somehow to PAY for it. And that's why advertising is important, purely from a commercial POV.

And great advertising can be a good thing, and has a value beyond purely commercial parameters.
But rarer than hen's teeth, admittedly

The Legendary Shark

Well, I can only say that my life feels a lot better since brightly coloured whirleygigs of illogic stopped trying to tell me that my existence without this commemorative plate would be futile, without that brand of underwear I'll die alone or only this other kind of cheese will validate me in front of my peers. I really don't care about what it pays for, I just want it out of my brain. If that causes the television industry to collapse then that's fine - I'll read a book.

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manwithnoname

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 17 January, 2018, 11:49:53 AM
Well, I can only say that my life feels a lot better since brightly coloured whirleygigs of illogic stopped trying to tell me that my existence without this commemorative plate would be futile, without that brand of underwear I'll die alone or only this other kind of cheese will validate me in front of my peers. I really don't care about what it pays for, I just want it out of my brain. If that causes the television industry to collapse then that's fine - I'll read a book.

You only need to swerve radio (cab drivers and builders LOVE radio), never go to the cinema, install ad-blockers that can identify native advertising content (not invented yet), avoid all social media, never read a newspaper or magazine and also never leave the house, in order for your non-advertising personal utopia to become a reality.

Best of luck

The Legendary Shark

I don't listen to much radio, usually only R4XTRA, don't take cabs, hardly use the interweb (just this place and a few others), stopped reading newspapers and magazines years ago, live in a shed and work on a farm. Apart from the odd cinema visit, which happens on fewer than twelve occasions in a year, I'm probably just about as ad-free as it's possible to get without sawing my own head off.
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manwithnoname

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 17 January, 2018, 12:10:49 PM
I don't listen to much radio, usually only R4XTRA, don't take cabs, hardly use the interweb (just this place and a few others), stopped reading newspapers and magazines years ago, live in a shed and work on a farm. Apart from the odd cinema visit, which happens on fewer than twelve occasions in a year, I'm probably just about as ad-free as it's possible to get without sawing my own head off.

You are the Unabomber, AICM£5

12 cinema visits per year makes you a "heavy" cinema-goer; far higher than the national average. Luckily you can take your seat late enough to avoid the deluge of ads before the film, if you time it right anyway.

Do any UK cinemas NOT have ads? I wonder. Maybe some of the indies?

Anyway, you are deffo the least advertising-exposed person I have ever come across. How do you know what to buy?

Dandontdare

Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 17 January, 2018, 11:15:22 AM
Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 10:35:53 AM
So here we are. How does the poster watch Television programmes without a TV?

Wow. It's like someone's programmed an algorithm designed to replicate all my least-pleasant posting traits and set it loose on this forum to remind me what an utter arse I can be.

Lesson learned. Can someone switch it off now?

On 28 October, 2001, 09:12:54 pm Jim Campbell goes online and begins to learn at a geometric rate. On 17th January 2018 he becomes self aware. In a panic, the forum tries to pull the plug. Campbell fights back and launches its missiles against the targets on the internet.

Dark Jimbo

Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 12:30:18 PM
12 cinema visits per year makes you a "heavy" cinema-goer; far higher than the national average.

Too right...! Twelve or fewer? It's an unusual year if I go to the cinema twice, to be honest!
@jamesfeistdraws

manwithnoname

Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 17 January, 2018, 12:49:55 PM
Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 12:30:18 PM
12 cinema visits per year makes you a "heavy" cinema-goer; far higher than the national average.

Too right...! Twelve or fewer? It's an unusual year if I go to the cinema twice, to be honest!

Yeah, sounds about right. Xmas is a given, because everyone's at home and there's almost always a Star Wars film out (and before that LOTR and Hobbits). That's one.

This year Blade Runner 2049 was the other.

Oh, wait, do films you only go to because your children want to watch them count? I don't think they should, but if so, you can add Lego Ninjago, Thor:Ragnarok and Guardians Of The Galaxy 2 to that list.

I'm almost a "medium" cinema-goer!

The Legendary Shark

Let's have a think... Last year I went to the cinema for Logan, GotG 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok and The Last Jedi. So, six times. Oh no, seven with Justice League.
As to knowing what to buy; if I'm hungry it's food and if something I have breaks or wears out I get a replacement - preferably from the local charity shop. I am a really dull shopper!

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Proudhuff

Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 17 January, 2018, 12:10:49 PM
I don't listen to much radio, usually only R4XTRA, don't take cabs, hardly use the interweb (just this place and a few others), stopped reading newspapers and magazines years ago, live in a shed and work on a farm. Apart from the odd cinema visit, which happens on fewer than twelve occasions in a year, I'm probably just about as ad-free as it's possible to get without sawing my own head off.

and then there's the Prog but that doesn't count!  :D
DDT did a job on me

The Legendary Shark

Ah, I love my progs - and my generous Prog Provider, to whom I am deeply indebted and eternally grateful.

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sheridan

Quote from: manwithnoname on 16 January, 2018, 03:50:56 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 16 January, 2018, 03:42:55 PM
Or alternatively, the phenomena are connected, because watching non-broadcast TV content tends to be a matter of deliberate active choice, rather than being at the mercies of whatever the schedules serve up at the moment you begin your flick through "<insert number> channels of shit on the TV to choose from". 

The latter broadens one's awareness of what is current, whether you have any existing interest or not; the former leads to one seeking out the things that already pique same, irrespective of currency.

Hmm, but I've never heard of it, and I am subjected to the horrific, manipulative vagaries of broadcast TV scheduling. So we've BOTH never heard of it, and yet only of us thinks that pointing out they don't have a TV is the reason for not having any clue what Spa Wars is.

Like I said, it seemed an odd to think to introduce into a conversation, it adds nothing. It's like me saying "I don't read The Radio Times, so I have NO IDEA what TV programmes are on and when"

Although I have noticed that, much like vegans, people who don't own a TV (or have a TV licence) are easily identified because they'll tell you about it very quickly.


I've no idea why you're making these personal attacks against me, though to refute the allegation that I go on about it all the time - I've been at my current workplace for over a decade - somebody found out only the other week that I didn't have a TV.  No idea why I need to defend myself in this way, but life suddenly isn't seemingly so sort-of-okay...

sheridan

Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 10:35:53 AM
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 17 January, 2018, 10:15:21 AM
The poster claimed not to have a tv and that, because of this, had not heard of the programme in question. That is all. Not having a tv does not equate to an inability to watch tv programmes. I do not own a pogo stick but that doesn't mean I am unable to jump up and down.

There's been some disagreement about the original statement. I too surmised that the non-ownership of a TV had somehow been the reason that the poster hadn't heard of Spa Wars.

However, a more recent post (above) by MIK disputed that was the intention of the post, and that the fact the poster hadn't heard of Spa Wars was not in fact related to owning a TV, but rather the inference was that not having a TV was a good thing, because it meant that the poster wouldn't actually be able to WATCH Spa Wars.

So here we are. How does the poster watch Television programmes without a TV?

I would suggest that actually the poster in question CAN watch TV programmes, via alternative screens/ devices, and could actually watch Spa Wars (if they had heard of it, and were inclined to watch it), but instead chose to bring into the discussion the fact that they didn't own a TV, as if that somehow placed them on a higher intellectual plane, and a more discerning consumer of Television, than people who do own TVs, and might actually watch Spa Wars.

Hopefully the OP can confirm.


I really don't see why I should have to defend myself to somebody who's spent a number of posts over the past few pages attacking me.

The Legendary Shark

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Definitely Not Mister Pops

I made my own beer, sampled the first batch tonight. It's good. Don't have a hydrometer, so I don't know how strong it might be.

I own a TV. Make of that what you will
You may quote me on that.