Internet Killed the Video Star: 10 Reasons Why You Should Cancel your Cable and Throw Away your Television

1.  The Internet is way less expensive: This is especially true is you are buying a flat screen TV and Direct TV.  For FREE you can take the laptop you already have and go to a public library or internet cafe.  Restaurants, and coffee shops all over are now offering free WiFi.

      

2. Less advertisements:  With the technology of the new and improved web browsers like Firefox and Safari, pop-up ads are nonexistent.  In addition, more and more sites are now allowing users to "x-out" advertisements that they don't want to see on their side panel. Get what you what from the media without being distracted. 

3.  Nearly everything that can be found on TV can now be found on the Internet. (Except of course, ten minutes of commercials for every half-hour of use.)

4.  Easier to move: If you are a student and/or change homes frequently you know what it is like to carry the awkward 30-60 lb. TV from place to place.    

5.  It encourages you to think:  Of course you can still consume intellectual Twinkies on the Internet, but at least you have to go out looking for them.  Most TV programs spoon feed them to you.  When only using the Internet, you'll start to receive funny/interesting articles/blog posts from your friends.  Then you will look for/write funny/interesting articles/blog posts to send back to them.  The TV does not have any of these interactions.            

6.  Peace and Quiet:  The common belief is that the world is getting nosier and more rowdy.  You can change that without becoming a Quaker--use only the Internet.  You will find yourself reading more and watching only the highlights. 

7.  The Internet is generally less-lazy:  Sure you can waste loads of time on the Internet, but you have to at least be looking for things to waste your time.  Most people would not go to a single site and stare at it for an hour and a half but most people have no problem turning on the TV to a single channel and staring at it for an hour and a half.

8. The Internet is more navigable than TV:  We have all had our frustrations with remote controllers which get ever-more complicated and ever-more out of batteries.  We give up and decide to watch the same channel for an hour and a half. 

9.  The Internet is purely consumer driven.  The television is a hybrid between consumer driven and corporate driven.  What the most people will watch is what appears on TV.  This can be a problem if you're not "most people" (who is anyway?).  True, there are a plethora of TV channels to choose from but you ultimately cannot decide what is shown on those channels.  The Internet, on the other hand, has millions of sites and millions of authors/artists.  Using RSS subscriptions and things like Google Reader, you can basically create your own channel of information.  You are the ultimate arbiter on what media/information/bias/beliefs/opinions you are willing to consume.  Television channels decide these things for you by treating you as another of the aggregate. 

10.  The Internet is encouraging:  Sure, there is a ton of trash on the Internet.  A ton.  There is, nonetheless, a lot of hope on the internet too: Old friends finding each other, Small business websites, and college students (like me) writing about their ideas just for fun.