Time to Get Rid of Your TV: My Latest at BiggerPockets

I just posted one of the most important articles I've written (which of course, given my level of importance, isn't really that important). I make the case that you should get rid of your TV. Or as the absolutely Godawful new Star Wars film put it "Let it die. Kill it if you must."

I start off with my own story,

"One of the most important decisions I made when I moved out to Kansas City seven years ago was that I would not buy a TV. I’ve been going seven years strong without one, and other than not being able to have people over to watch the big game, I can’t say I’ve missed it even slightly."

Then I go on to describe the evidence television is awful, mostly by quoting Robert Putnam's great book, Bowling Alone,

"…Those who watch an hour or less of television per day are half again as active civically as those who watch three hours or more a day. For example, 39 percent of the light viewers attended some public meeting on town or school affairs last year, as compared with only 25 percent of the demographically matched heavy viewers. Of the light viewers, 28 percent wrote Congress last year, compared with 21 percent of the heavy viewers. Of the light viewers, 29 percent played a leadership role in some local organization, as contrasted with only 18 percent of heavy viewers. Light viewers were nearly three times more likely to have made a speech last year than were equally well-educated heavy viewers (14 percent to 5 percent)” (Putnam 229)."

Hang out with your family, read a book, hang out with friends, go to the gym, travel, go camping, do something! But please, stop watching television.

Check it out!