Tuesday, November 18, 2008

TV Watching Is a Horrible Way to Spend Your Retirement


Research indicates that on the average Americans spend about 40 percent of their free time in front of the TV. For retirees, the percentage is much higher. This translates into 4 to 6 hours a day watching TV — which is about 4 to 6 hours too many.

Contrary to popular belief, one way to guarantee boredom in retirement is to watch a lot of TV. Even people who retire with substantial wealth end up watching a lot of television instead of getting involved in more satisfying leisure and recreational activities.

One problem is that television entertains but deludes people. T.V. as a whole is not very educational. When programs are educational, people don't watch them.

Some retired people say that television is a necessity in today's world. This is nonsense. In summer, I sometimes go for four months straight without turning on my TV set for even one minute. Moreover, I know a few people who don't even own a TV set. Case closed: This proves that TV is not a necessity.

Retired people watch TV without understanding what they are watching. Even if they understand, they seldom absorb anything worthwhile. In my book The Joy of Not Working, I discuss the many more detrimental effects of TV including how chronic TV watchers are more likely to be jerks and to be obese.


    Retirement Quote for this Week

    The human race is faced with a cruel choice: work or daytime television.
    — Author Unknown

No comments:

Post a Comment