posted on Mar, 7 2005 @ 01:49 PM
NO TV/Printed Media before 6th grade
I grew up in a very fundamental, religious, single parent household until I was 12. My household did not have a television, magazines, radio, or
newspaper. My reading material was highly restricted. I was brought up in locations that sheltered me from the rest of humanity. I was home-schooled
until 6th grade.
I was told to believe God was all. I was taught manners and etiquette. I learned to question, and have an open mind. I was taught that racial
intolerance was wrong. I learned the 10 commandments very early, and was expected to live by the rules of those commandments.
Flash forward 3 years. I’m no longer sheltered. I’m living with an atheist. I have access to TV, magazines, radio, newspapers, and oh yes, other
people.
Now I can watch TV, but most of it bores me. I visit the local library, and find that I’m a voracious reader. During the summer that I turned 15, I
read 80% of a small local libraries sci-fi, fantasy and horror selection. That fall, I read all the fairy tales available in the school library, just
for giggles. That year I was also lucky to have an alternative class that centered on Greek and roman mythology.
Flash forward 12 years. It’s 1995. I could now be considered a mature adult. But I don’t have the same opinions, beliefs, or lifestyle that 99%
of the people around me have. I’m living in a metropolitan area, and have few friends outside my peer group (geeks). I’m travel restricted. I
don’t drive. I believe in many alternative concepts and ideas, but haven’t yet met anyone who believed like I did.
Now, in 2005. I’ve been online for over a decade. The WWW has come a long way, and I’ve been able to read about many things, and know other people
share my ideas. In recent years, I watch certain programs on TV, and otherwise it’s turned off. I’ve had a Tivo for a year, and I record what I
want to watch, and fast forward through the commercials. On average I watch about 8 hours of TV a week. Or I don’t watch TV for a week, and let my
Tivo catch the things I don’t want to miss. I read all my news online, and rarely watch local news or CNN.
I’m not like most other Americans, and I’m not sure why.
I’m certainly not saying I am a better person then everyone else, for not growing up with things most people take for granted. I am sure however,
that my open mind and curious nature are alive in me because I was not put in front of TV at an early age.
I’m posting this because I wanted to hear other people’s views on how the media can affect us. Or not affect us, if we don’t have it in front of
us every day.
-VW