We quit cable television.
Our quitting started this time last year. Actually, the downsizing of our relationship with our communications service provider began 4 years ago. The home phone was the first to go.
It sat quietly for a year or two before finally being taken off the counter for good. Our new home that we built in 2015 has never seen a home phone.
Cancelling the phone service was not too difficult because it was the least expensive service they provided. And, they were making big money off of the ridiculously expensive cable package, with channels we never watched and way more channels than we needed to watch.
Try to cancel cable. We dare you!
Last year when we began to detach from television, there was a noticeable difference in the cable company’s tone. They started by enticing us to keep the basic cable package for an extra 12 months by making the cost of our internet service more expensive without TV.
Then we noticed a couple of months back that our bill shot up at the end of the special 12 month offer. We were back to nearly $200 a month. So, it was time to get rid of cable for good.
You can’t cancel your cable service through all the easy web-based ways you can add a service though. To cancel your cable service, you have to call them by phone. Then, you have to wait. Wait. And wait some more.
Breathe. You got this!
I learned that cancelling my cable service was a good test of my recently adopted mindfulness practice.
The waiting process can have two impacts: either, I would give up at 45 minutes and decide to keep the cable service or I would get so frustrated I would consider moving my internet service to another company. There must be data that more people choose the former over the latter. And as you will soon find out they have an answer for the latter as well.
This became evident to me because initially I thought I had a “move, change or add a service” issue. When I selected that option from the computer operator at the beginning of my call, a customer service specialist was immediately available. But, when they discovered I was cancelling cable, my call was sent into the blackhole of muzak where a computer repeated how important the call was to them and then gently reminded me that all other aspects of their customer service was far better staffed than the cancellation department.
“57 channels and nothing on”
Finally, after out-waiting them, an agent began the process of trying to convince me to keep my cable package.
“Why do you want to get rid of it?” she asked. “Do you watch Game of Thrones? Do you know there is a new season coming in April?”
“Yes we do and yes we are very excited for the new season. But you will notice that we do not have HBO as part of the basic package anyway,” I responded. “Nice try.”
“So you just want to keep the internet service then?”
“Yes, just the internet service.”
“Ok. Do you know that if you commit to a two-year contract for internet service you can get it for $70 per month?”
“No. I didn’t know that.”
“Would you like to sign a two year contract?”
“Sure, why not. We will definitely need the internet service.”
They saw that their grip on our household was slipping. First, we paid for a home phone service we didn’t need or want, then we paid for cable channels we didn’t need or want. But they didn’t want us out shopping for a new internet service provider so they bought themselves 24 months.
Their business model is being disrupted. At one time a few years ago they were charging us $300 for a package of communication services. Now, they get just $70 per month from our home.
Removing the distractions
Here is what brings a smile to my face.
Last weekend, Ella came up to me and said, “Dad, can I watch TV?”
“Sure, go ahead,” I mindlessly responded, barely looking up from my computer screen.
She and her brother plopped down on the couch and began searching Netflix for something to watch. After about 3 or 4 minutes, Silas said, “There’s not really much that I want to watch!”
“Yah.” Ella shot back. “Silas, do you want to play with me?”
“Sure.” He responded.
They turned off Netflix and disappeared for the rest of the morning to explore their own creativity.
Image by Vidmir Raic from Pixabay
TV… I’ve heard of that… isn’t that what people used to do before YouselessTube? 🙂
I recall when I went on a “TV diet” about 15 years ago. We wanted to reduce our consumption, and so decided to cut out all TV that largely featured violence. That cut us way back, leaving only West Wing and Judging Amy. And if you think there was much future in a TV show about a social worker and her single-mom, family-court-law judge daughter…
So, when those two shows went off the air, I got rid of TV completely. I haven’t owned one since 2005.
There is much to worry about with TVs. As I mentioned, most of it features, indeed, even celebrates violence. Shows that don’t feature physical violence have implicit social-emotional violence, as in who gets “voted off” the island, or who is the “best” chef.
Is this what we want to teach our children? How they must compete, rather than cooperate? Why are there no TV shows featuring a group of people who work together to provide a mutually-acceptable solution to a vitally important, long-term problem? Or if we must have socio-emotional violence, how about “voting” the fossil fuel companies “off the planet” so that future generations will have a planet worth living on?
Anyway, kudos to you for cutting the cable-TV cord. My challenge to you is to dump video popular culture entirely!