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The Slice: Life without TV lets you get creative in your loafing
Maybe you have considered unplugging your TV as a way to give your life more depth, more meaning.
That’s certainly an option. But there are several things you might want to take into consideration. For instance …
Pro: Not watching TV would give you more time for social service volunteering.
Con: You might just spend five more hours per day fooling around on your iPad.
Pro: You would have more time for listening to public radio and preparing intricate salads.
Con: You might go from sending six Tweets a week to sending 50 a night.
Pro: Not watching TV would give you time to read important books and listen to music.
Con: You might wind up reading Hollywood gossip and paranoid survivalist blogs.
Pro: On Monday mornings, co-workers would know not to pester you with rehashings of Sunday night shows.
Con: Sometimes those conversations are entertaining and lead to discussions of more substantial matters.
Pro: Not watching TV would give you more time for exercise.
Con: You loathe exercise.
Pro: You could rediscover the subtle pleasures of listening to sports on the radio.
Con: Or rediscover the subtle pleasures of falling asleep in your chair.
Pro: Giving up TV might improve the quality of your news/information intake.
Con: It might not.
Pro: Giving up TV could lead to lively give-and-take with members of your household.
Con: Most of those exchanges will begin with complaints about the TV ban.
Pro: Pulling the plug on the TV would give you more time to actually go out and do things.
Con: Going out might remind you of just why you enjoy zoning out for hours of passive couch potatoing at home.
Pro: Giving up TV might keep you from ogling on-screen performers.
Con: Unless, of course, you have heard of this thing called the Internet.
Pro: Could be the catalyst for becoming the person you aspire to be.
Con: You’ll miss some good shows.
Pro: No more hard-target searches for remotes.
Con: That’s how you find other missing items.
Today’s Slice question: How much candy supposedly intended for trick-or-treat distribution next Friday have you already devoured in your selfless commitment to quality control?