Then the record button came around, and sitting around watching any random show while waiting for favourite shows to come on became useless, finally exposed for the absolute waste of time that it was (I mean, studies have proven that just randomly flipping through channels and watching random shows doesn't actually even make you happy). Aside from certain shows that I watch only after I can skip through all the commercials, I just stopped using the TV. Why? Actually, it was because I found some hobbies to invest my time into. But that is besides the point. Then I discovered YouTube. It was free, unlimited, entertaining, and most importantly wait-free (except when Minecraft series episodes ran out, but there were always others to find). TV is just too limiting, too time-wasting and just not satisfying.
The way I see it, TV is reaching its natural, inevitable end. That said, I don't think it will be gone completely. There are things about watching television that something like YouTube can't replace, like the sitting down with your family to watch those favourite shows. Just like radio was limited to music stations with a few news shows in between, TV will have to move over to make room for the new innovations that have come around. So even though I foresee a lot of changes in how most people get their video entertainment, there are still going to be people who watch TV, and so we won't be seeing its complete demise any time soon.
Hi Anita, I can relate to the feelings of excitement and awe of the television as a child. I think the television was a popular past-time in many peoples childhood. Therefore, I hope your right to believe that the television won’t be completely gone. You make many excellent points about television being a waste of time. However, in my opinion, there is no replacing the experience of sitting in front of that big static-y box. You also made an argument that watching any random show while waiting for the shows you desire to come is a useless waste of time. I agree that watching shows that you don’t fancy is pointless. However, you can avoid this time waster by knowing beforehand what time your show is on. This will allow you to not waste any time, and still have the exciting experience that captured you as a child. I agree and hope that you are right that the television won’t completely disappear, but I don’t think it will vanish as much as you predict.
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