The new television

It is 4:30am and I have had little sleep so forgive me for the babble. I gave up my television a couple years ago and went straight internet only. To my dismay, youtube videos are now everywhere - forums, blogs, emails, websites, etc. For those that gave up your tv, isn't this a little frustrating? Maybe I am too old fashioned but I see this trend as a simple substitution for tv.

Yeah, I don't think giving up television in this decade means what it used to. I think it's cell phones in addition to computers though. They have become attached to some folks. We have noticed that cigarettes have been replaced with cell phones in movies now. Used to be a cigarette was a part of the drama and now cell phones are part of the action.
We have a small tv (twelve inch screen) because we like PBS programs and some movies from the library but most of the time our kids were growing up we had none and of course no computer either. There was always plenty of other stuff to do.

I see a distinction. Television is passive consumption of a mix of comedy/drama/news/sports and mostly advertising, with the goal of the television network for you to spend as much time passively consuming the professionally-produced shows as possible. YouTube is a medium that anyone may post video/audio content with or without ads for edification or entertainment. Indeed there are full courses taught on YouTube as well as interviews and workshops from important contributors to nearly any field.

It is possible to use YouTube in the same way that most "Joe Six-packs" idle away hours of time in front of television, but I'd say that is the exception rather than the rule.

Part of my issue stems from that I enjoy reading. I would rather have the option of an article than be forced to watch someone.

Cell phones...you are right, Judith. That is another addictive vice.

I rarely turn on my little tv.
Usually it is to watch coverage of severe weather.
I think it is adbusters.com that discourages tv --
because of the advertising / emotional and mental control
and because of the electronic waves, that emit at a rate which causes
something in your eyes and mind -- hypnotic or something

A lot of what is on tv is now available on the internet.
The difference is, you watch it in your own time.
And then... I discovered -- audio books
https://catalog.librivox.org/
and found that I could have the best of both worlds.
I could listen to great literature, and do other things, too.
Instead of music in the background... I listen to audio books.
Here are some of my favorites:
http://archive.org/details/loss_titanic_1107_librivox
http://archive.org/details/sinking_of_the_titanic_librivox
http://archive.org/details/little_women_0711_librivox
http://archive.org/details/hunchback_notre_dame_mn_libriox
http://archive.org/details/frankenstein_1210_librivox
http://archive.org/details/call_of_the_wild
http://archive.org/details/white_fang_librivox
http://archive.org/details/burning_daylight_1211_librivox
http://archive.org/details/people_of_abyss_pw_librivox
http://archive.org/details/moby_dick_librivox
http://archive.org/details/huck_finn_librivox
http://archive.org/details/slavery_times_1102_librivox
http://archive.org/details/bethink_yourselves_db_librivox