The Shocking Truth of #25

#25 "[Certain items used for birth control] have always been advertised on television."

"The list" is out and reading it this year I don't feel necessarily "old", but I do feel a strong sense of being an alien on my own planet! Every year since 1998 Beloit College in Beloit, WI has put together a list of telling facts about the lives and experiences of incoming college freshmen. Their site receives over 300,000 hits a year, so it's definitely worth the read at http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/.

Did you know, for example:

Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black & white TV.

They have always had cable.

There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta is.

They cannot fathom what it was like not having a remote control.

They were born the year Walkmen were introduced by Sony.

"The Tonight Show" has always been with Jay Leno.

But there was something about that #25 (about the birth control mehod advertisements) that hit me very strangely. Finally realized why... I HAVE MISSED A COLLEGE FRESHMAN'S LIFETIME WORTH OF TV! I have never seen ONE of those commercials in my life. Have I really lived in that much of a cave? (Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, I guess.)

As I entered college in 1992 (okay that dates me!) I didn't have a TV in my dorm room. When Andy and I got married right out of college we decided TV was "too addictive" so we opted to not purchase one. A few years later we bought a DVD player for our computer to watch movies. We have borrowed TVs to watch specials, Christmas movies, the Olympics, for family get-togethers, but it has not been a normal part of our lives. (By the way, I do follow "American Idol", just online instead.) We keep up on culture, movies, politics, and news through the internet, newspapers, and obviously- RADIO! (I do have to add that when I do watch TV and see how old some of the actors, actresses, and news anchors look, it shocks me because some of them I haven't see in over 15 years!)

I honestly appreciate not having a TV because it forces us to find creative activities to do together as a family, and with all the craziness associated with our work and school schedules there really isn't much time to watch anything anyway. There are only 1-2% of Americans who do not have a TV in their homes. The Beloit list gave me a look at what I am "missing", although I am thankful to have my memories of a more wholesome world- even if I am living in a time warp!

Is there anything else you think I might have "missed" by not having a television? I'd love to know your thoughts (and your help in filling in my cultural gaps!)