Commercials Waste Valuable Years

Magna-Carta said:
I've had a think about it, and there appears to be two decimal points in your conclusion, so it's not entirely clear to me whether you are saying 15,208.33 years, or 15.20833 years? I'd like to think its not just over 15 thousand years, so I'm thinking, Typo regarding the second decimal point.

As it happens, 365000 hours is 41.67 years, but I think I get your point. It's a lot of years in a lifetime, or would be if it's continuous. Although I can't imagine anyone sitting in front of a TV for ten hours a day, or even why someone would want to watch TV to that extent, regardless of personal circumstances.
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I used ten hours as the extreme and then cut it in half to be more realistic. At the time, I didn't know most people would get stuck on the tv watching aspect when my post was about the time commercials waste... take another look at the heading. But I guess we're all victims of brainwashing, which is why I think most of us get defensive when our favorite plastic pet is threatened. To each is his or her own.
 

JustDave said:
I got rid of TV 13 years ago, not because I should be doing other things, but because I started hating it. I still laze away the hours streaming content from my computer. I've replaced one no-no with another, and I'm starting to think the advertisements, which accounted for half of my hatred of TV are even worse on my computer. Of course streaming services offer ad free options which I'm happy to pay for, and I do it in a heartbeat.
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That's the real point, Just Dave. That and like I alluded to with Triple Dipping, we pay for the subscription (unless you only use Free-To-Air), then pay for the commercials via our time and the pay again for the products we purchase. Really, it's Quad Dipping since we also pay for the televisions.

And speaking of brainwashing, these so-called Search Engines are the modern day Big Brother or Bugs in Our Brains as I like to call them. They tell us where to go, who to talk to, what to buy, who to vote for, what's good for us and who the enemy is... which is usually a man or woman like us but with a different political opinion.

Nice to meet you JD
 
gruntlabor said:
Yes, Magna Carta! It's reality. Isn't it wonderful!
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Well said Grunt Labor, we all should be aware that we're all different and that our circumstances often point us in a direction we may or might not want to go. However, that shouldn't keep us from encouraging one another to get out of line and perhaps dance to our own tune, even if it's only for a little while.
As to the rest, please read what I wrote about my post being about commercials.
Nice post!
 
In some respects the lack of commercials on tv and/or on social media has led to fewer public service announcements like smoking is bad for you. Or anti littering psa's like "Give a hoot don't pollute".

I see several generations that don't seem to have a clue about several issues that were covered in the form of psas in decades past. Also since anyone can watch anything at anytime they don't have to sit through a news or magazine show where they might learn something.
 
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Paco Dennis said:
Off topic a bit...but I will return. I have noticed that people are suggesting a kind of behavior that they have we embraced as something special that helps them or makes them happier/better and then sharing it. Well, it worked for you and is working for you to feel good that's a for sure. But, it doesn't work that way for others, not matter what it is.

People all react differently to "being treated like a lady", or "Get off the couch and exercise" or "pray every morning and you will be blessed", or eat a certain food", and on and on. I have a particular problem that I get suggestions for by those who have the problem. It is a "rule" in the group that what you think is great, is not great for everyone. Pretty easy to understand. I don't understand why everyone should agree. Who cares how much TV one watches. You never know their circumstance, so you can't say it doesn't matter. Ridiculous.
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Not off-topic but a bit off point PD. My post is about Commercials but if you want to protect the advertisers that's your prerogative. And like I pointed out to someone else, the difference between encouragement and judgement is a matter of perception.

Nice to meet you Paco Dennis,

Ridiculous
 
More than two decades ago our TV set stopped working. We didn't buy a new one, but have been without it for seven(!) years. The first years without PC and internet too.

We also don't watch TV most of the time. Never the news or shows or TV series and so on. On very rare occasions I watch an opera, but that's it. Thus per month maybe two hours maximum. No commercial spots at all, since we don't watch private TV channels.
 
George1959 said:
More than two decades ago our TV set stopped working. We didn't buy a new one, but have been without it for seven(!) years. The first years without PC and internet too.

We also don't watch TV most of the time. Never the news or shows or TV series and so on. On very rare occasions I watch an opera, but that's it. Thus per month maybe two hours maximum. No commercial spots at all, since we don't watch private TV channels.
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Hi George,

Honest opinion, are you better or worse off?

Nice to meet you.
 
WhatInThe said:
In some respects the lack of commercials on tv and/or on social media has led to fewer public service announcements like smoking is bad for. Or anti littering psa's like "Give a hoot don't pollute".

I see several generations that don't seem to have a clue about several issues that were covered in the form of psas in decades past. Also since anyone can watch anything at anytime they don't have to sit through a news or magazine show where they might learn something.
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Way to think outside the box, What. Sure, win some, lose some but a world with less bosses would be a win for us all, in my humble opinion.

Nice to meet you.
 
WhatInThe said:
In some respects the lack of commercials on tv and/or on social media has led to fewer public service announcements like smoking is bad for. Or anti littering psa's like "Give a hoot don't pollute".

I see several generations that don't seem to have a clue about several issues that were covered in the form of psas in decades past. Also since anyone can watch anything at anytime they don't have to sit through a news or magazine show where they might learn something.
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Public Service Announcements by NGOs or government are just more leeches plugged into the taxpayer, my opinion. How many occupations today are of little or no practical use?? That's okay, but how many of those are funded by the taxpayer?
 
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mvsimmons said:
Not off-topic but a bit off point PD. My post is about Commercials but if you want to protect the advertisers that's your prerogative. And like I pointed out to someone else, the difference between encouragement and judgement is a matter of perception.

Nice to meet you Paco Dennis,

Ridiculous
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The bold. This is what I mean. You are assigning your attributes to what I said, and making what I said. I am not protecting advertisers! No where did I. Why did you say that?
 
gruntlabor said:
Public Service Announcements by NGOs or government are just more leeches plugged onto the taxpayer, my opinion. How many occupations today are of little or no practical use?? That's okay, but how many of those are funded by the taxpayer?
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You're going to make me get political aren't you Grunt? I'll hold back out of respect for the site's wishes, but, on topic, in my country propaganda paid for using the people's money is divided into a twenty to one split... if you get my drift.
 
According to the Office of Communications (Ofcom), TV viewing in the UK has been steadily decreasing since 2011, with a temporary increase during COVID.

From an average daily per person viewing of just over 4 hours in 2011 to 2 hours 14 minutes in 2023. Of that 2:14 average, 1:49 is spent watching broadcast TV, 25 minutes watching recorded playback; 20 minutes watching video on demand.
People over the age of 45 generally watch more that 2:14. Adults of 75 years plus watch an average of 4:41. Children/adults between 16 to 24 years watch only 20 minutes of broadcast TV per day, preferring to watch video sharing platforms.

Regarding commercials, my experience in the US is that they are more frequent than in the UK. I can think of 4 channels in the UK that don't have commercials. In my experience, US commercials often seem to focus on convincing viewers to ask their doctors for specific prescription drugs, a practice not allowed on UK TV.

I don't have specific US viewing figures, but I'm not sure a perceived norm in the US should be a benchmark for the rest of the world.
 
Who says TV marketing doesn't work. "Now hands that do dishes can feel as soft as your face, with mild green Fary Liquid". Thanks to this commercial I never bought a dishwasher. I've got the softest hands in the business. Even washing the neighbor's dishes for that additional softness.

And it seemed that the marketing people behind this product brought a new commercial out every six months or so, because it "is now even better!". It's the best of the rest and the bestest of all the bestests that there have ever been, ever. Or words to that effect.

 
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Magna-Carta said:
According to the Office of Communications (Ofcom), TV viewing in the UK has been steadily decreasing since 2011, with a temporary increase during COVID.

From an average daily per person viewing of just over 4 hours in 2011 to 2 hours 14 minutes in 2023. Of that 2:14 average, 1:49 is spent watching broadcast TV, 25 minutes watching recorded playback; 20 minutes watching video on demand.
People over the age of 45 generally watch more that 2:14. Adults of 75 years plus watch an average of 4:41. Children/adults between 16 to 24 years watch only 20 minutes of broadcast TV per day, preferring to watch video sharing platforms.

Regarding commercials, my experience in the US is that they are more frequent than in the UK. I can think of 4 channels in the UK that don't have commercials. In my experience, US commercials often seem to focus on convincing viewers to ask their doctors for specific prescription drugs, a practice not allowed on UK TV.

I don't have specific US viewing figures, but I'm not sure a perceived norm in the US should be a benchmark for the rest of the world.
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And I'd be willing wager than you're mentally healthier, due in no small part to your TV watching habits. Good to know MC.
 
mvsimmons said:
Mind Controllers, Modern Day Pick Pockets aka advertisers, One Percenters - who not only think they're superior but are convinced you should.
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Well that sounds a lot of hyperbole to me.

Of course companies advertise their products - nothing new or sinister there

By the way your own post came across as superior and thinking we should all do as you do.
 
mvsimmons said:
But I guess we're all victims of brainwashing, which is why I think most of us get defensive when our favorite plastic pet is threatened. To each is his or her own.
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No people are not getting defensive, they are just disagreeing with you.

And pushing back against condescending tone of posts eg comments like their favourite plastic pet. :rolleyes:
 

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