Before I begin, I just want to say live and let live. I grew up watching TV 24 hours a day, I kid you not. With that in mind, we have simply chosen not to watch it, but I don't in any way begrudge anybody who does. If anything, Ruth and I are the anomalies in our culture because we don't watch TV. We are the weird ones.

Having said that, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I do think that people are simply better off without their TVs for the simple reason that for every moment you spend watching it you are forsaking a moment to live your life. So every time a child sits down to watch a program about nature, it's time taken away from them either reading about it or going outside and learning about it firsthand. Rather than living our lives, we'd rather watch other people doing it on Friends or reality TV. It's pretty amazing to me.

It's just not healthy to sit inside in front of a light box and while away the hours. Just think about how awful you feel after going for those Twilight Zone Marathons. AND, isn't it a little scary how much kids just tune out and are oblivious to the world when the TV is on? It scares me, and I don't like it.

TV is just irresistible. It's a slippery slope, and just having cable or DirectTV ensures that you WILL watch more than you think or even want to. It's just too easy. And like credit card debt, people are never willing to admit to the full extent of their consumption.

Orson Welles said it best: I hate TV as much as I hate eating peanuts. It's just that I can't stop eating peanuts.

Every parent should read the Plug-In Drug. Mary Winn says it much better than I ever could.