And another thing.

[featherynscale]

Often it comes to pass at work or in other social situations that somebody asks me if I saw [insert name of show] last night. I tell them, "No, I don't watch television."

Sometimes this leads people to look shifty and say things like "I don't watch much either, just [these shows]." Sometimes it leads people to turn up their noses and say things like, "Well, aren't you special?". Other negative reactions have been reported, but are less common.

Maybe I'm not being clear enough. I don't watch television. I say this so that people will know that if they ask me about shows, I'm probably not going to be able to provide any response at all, because I will have invariably not seen the thing. I don't watch television. I don't care for enough shows to bother. This is not because I'm inherently a better person than tv-viewers. I'm not advancing the point that people shouldn't watch television. I just don't enjoy it, myself. I also don't enjoy jogging, but nobody seems to get too offended or guilty about that, even joggers.

Why is it so often an attack if I say "I don't watch television" and hardly ever an attack if I say "I don't jog"? To me these are roughly equivalent statements.

Comments

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

I've spent a little bit of time with a "child-free" group, and I have to say that the majority of them do tend to be fairly monstrous in their dislike of children. It's not just that they don't want kids for themselves, they seem to actively scorn children and parents.

Similarly to how at least a couple of the people in this thread have expressed insulting regard for those who do watch television.

I don't think you can fault tv-addicted breeders for getting defensive.

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Yeah, a lot of childfree people who are all political about it are assholes. I think it's largely because they're harrassed though. I know I am harrassed about not wanting kids, so I assume it also happens to other people. You can only get called a monster so many times before you get really cranky about it.

Me, I just don't want kids. I kind of have a hard time being around other people's kids too, but I try not to be an ass about it, I'm just sensitive to loud noise. I can't really hack adults that scream at random either.

[iron-clad.livejournal.com]

That's cool though. You don't want kids, you and yours have taken responsible steps to ensure it does not happen. Right on ya! You tolerate others kids because they are not yours and the parents are your friends. Right on ya! You do not condemn others for having kids, right on ya!

re: adults that scream at random

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Except for iron_clad, who does not so much scream as declaim, and will usually buy you a pint before/after/while he is declaiming whatever it is he has to declaim.

Re: adults that scream at random

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Yeah. If they buy me a beer, that's cool.

[kaikias.livejournal.com]

Mm, some of them might be harrassed, but I think a decent number are just assholes. Same way you get assholes in any medium-to-large group of people.

[malvito.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'm a monster about other people's kids (ask the Boyce's, or just about anyone else in Gaea Community, f'rcryinoutloud); but I've gotten some of the most outraged responses by people who would have done better to work harder on raising thir own kids than telling me how badly I neded a brodd that I categorically don't want.

Had a supervisor once who said that I had to have kids, that it was Required By God!!! I'd tell you what I still think of this person, but that sort of language does not belong on someplace like the Internet.

But...but...

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

The Internet is for Scorn!

This message brought to you by the Task Force for a Porn-Free Intarweb.

Re: But...but...

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Hey now. Leave the porn alone. Next thing, you'll be taking the batteries out of my vibrator.

Re: But...but...

[greektoomey.livejournal.com]

At least you'd still have the use of it as a dildo.

From TTFFAPFI

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Your vibrator is safe, so long as it stays off the Internet at 12:15 in the morning, or any other time in fact.

Re: From TTFFAPFI

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

You mean I can't mix my AC and my DC?

Re: From TTFFAPFI

[(Anonymous)]

If you do, I wanna watch (or at least juicy footage)...

Re: From TTFFAPFI

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Nope. No live sex shows for anonymous people.

Re: From TTFFAPFI

[malvito.livejournal.com]

Sorry ... that one was from me ... normally if I'm in a place where I'm not logged on it won't post until I do.

Re: From TTFFAPFI

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Of course it is you. :)
Unless this is the sort of thing that multiple parties are likely to claim responsibility for... :)

Re: But...but...

[malvito.livejournal.com]

(LOL) My antipathy for said person goes beyond scorn, or any other mere mortal negative emotions