> Sure, it was possible to be a functioning member of society without a television for a long time, but it's downright impractical now.

Lies!
Or am I not a functioning member of society?

Well, to be truthful we do have something that /looks/ like a television here at home. We didn't get it until I was 15 or so. It gets half a channel. (just the sound) We use it to watch videos occasionally. I can't imagine myself buying a TV for my own either. I've never had one. I've never missed it. What's the point in paying for one?

I just don't like television. I find it's hypnotic, luring me in to spending more time than I would like with it. I've never learned to tune it out and I will continue to watch it long past the point where I would have put down a book of equal stupidity. This attitude completely baffled my previous landlord who kept telling my I was welcome to watch his TV any time I wanted. He didn't have any books in his house anywhere either. Needless to say we did not get along well.

And on top of that, I've never missed not having one. I don't place much importance on having visuals with my news (the audio news that you get from a radio broadcast is bad enough). Of course this means that I don't recognise politicians, celebrities, or newscasters but really that doesn't seem like a big loss.

As for distant relatives, the internet can do that kind of thing so much faster these days. Besides I've always hated cameras of any sort and video cameras always seemed perticularly cheesy.

Sure, call me deprived. Really, I prefer it this way.

Rivikah