Lack of a television. If they ask whether you saw a particular show, just say “No,” without elaborating.

Your eating and exercise habits.

Your financial habits and condition. This includes never mentioning debt pay-down, or building savings.

Your goals in life – either financial or personal.

Also, I like to avoid being seen with ANY material possession that might inspire coveting or envy.

I have also learned to avoid discussing ANY options or choices in my life. It tends to be interpreted as an invitation for the other person to tell me what to do. Whether how to spend my money, or my time, or what to eat, or where to live, etc, etc.

It is best to just let people assume that you are just like them. Or even lower than them, so they don’t feel threatened.

this topic has struck a nerve with ALOT of ppl it seems, looks like it’s very easy to find ppl who have been on the receiving end of judgemental attitudes regarding tv watching, frugality, luxuries, whatever… i really don’t believe we’re all on one side of the fence. i have been judged, but i’ve also judged – i’ll fess up to that. and i’m sure not all of you are saints either.

you may have that vegetarian friend, religous coworker, granola eco-warrior friend or frugal pal. you may not agree with how they live their lives but take a second to consider how you relate to them, the little things you may say, even inadvertantly. are you truly loving/tolerant/humble?

i feel too often we focus on blaming everyone ELSE, they are the problem, not me! we can’t all be victims. i’d like to make some snide remark about my bicycle loving friend who makes us all feel like carbon pigs for driving cars but…but i’m going catch myself and not judge and accept our differences.

if you really can’t come to terms with someone else’s lifestyle choices, and you can’t keep your mouth shut…then time to find new friends.

It’s a reasonable assumption that due to the fact that books require a level of literacy that television does not, that when considering the population as a whole, the intelligence and education of the average book reader will *by necessity* be higher than that of the average television viewer.

Of course this is a gross generalization, as there are plenty of highly intelligent/educated people who watch television, and plenty of ignoramuses who read books. It’s not a judgment call on my part – I watch plenty of TV. Just stating a logical conclusion based on the facts.

Really? That sounds reasonable to you?

If not, then isn’t that admitting the “literacy” argument is just a red herring? Which brings me back to my original question: why the intellectual distinction?

“Why is reading a book assumed to be a worthwhile use of one’s time, while watching TV is perceived as a mindless, wasteful, lazy pursuit? I’m talking fiction novels here.”

Probably because reading a book requires a level of literacy/education that TV does not.

Okay, fine, ONCE, but not now. And I love my commercial television, as long as I don’t have to listen to/watch the commercials, many of which are wretchedly written. If I don’t know what you’re trying to sell me, YOU ARE NOT DOING YOUR JOB.

Peer pressure is what folks allow, nothing more or less. If it bothers you, grow a pair.

Most folks don’t care how much more ‘enriching’ your lifestyle is — or if they do, they’ll ask about it. So please, live your minimalist lives and try applying minimalist principles to expressing your opinions of others’ lifestyles.

There, I feel much mo betta.

If anything, I’d think they’d want to DIScourage others from getting the same, so they’d be even cooler.

My children are both very intelligent- and yes, I thank educational television for part of that. Of course we also read to them, and they read to us. I am talking about 2 year olds who can read, count, do math, know all their shapes,etc.

My wife and I also learn from tv- whether it’s cooking methods, home improvement or financial tips, history, etc.

There are relative levels of frugality and materialism. For me, having no tv or “gadgets” may seem a little “extreme.” However, that is probably because most people I know have multiple big screen TVs and video game systems, go on multiple trips and vacations and spend a lot of money on entertainment.

We only have the cheapest, smallest usable modern TV in our living room and a few ancient sets elsewhere. We have a couple video game systems, but they get little use. I think most people would make fun of US for this. Maybe not exactly “make fun of” but you know what I mean.

“I bet I can name a few other things you have that I don’t: A cable bill, a cell phone, a cell phone bill, a car payment, debt on credit cards, a payment on your fancy TV, stress about money, shackles to the job, a lack of imagination. Anything I’m forgetting?”

I have to admit, the way my husband and I resist peer pressure on all things materialistic is our general feeling of superiority over others who are consumed with being consumers.

Now, I love my aging TV. It may not seem that way; I may not turn it on for a couple of weeks… or years … at a time, but it plays the handful of tapes and disks I like, and it gives me How The Earth Was Made, when I’m sick and can’t sleep (sometimes it gives me The Black Death And You). I have the history channel! I have the discovery channel! I have my Magic Mute button, which clicks on for all the G.D. commercials! I’m trying to think if there’s anything I’ve felt compelled to buy as a result of this crescendo of TV-watching; maybe the (low-cost, low-tech) cat-hair remover I saw the other day, but that’s pretty good, over the … ten? years I’ve had this TV.

But as I get older and see how the people who judge me out loud look unhealthier and unhappier, I stay content with my decisions and feel a little sad that they can’t see how they are the product of their own bad choices. (And BTW, this is not a judgment against TV – I watch plenty of online TV with my partner!)

As far as gadgetry and spending money, I live in a small town where most of my coworkers and friends don’t have much money or a great desire to show off a new toy. The one exception is my best friend’s husband, who loves to brag about his new gadgets, but he only gets them because she allows him to spend her money (she’s the main earner), so I just kinda smile and let him feel good about his toys.

So as far as how Rob should handle his coworkers, if he feels good about his lifestyle, I would think those comments wouldn’t affect him too much. If I were him, I would look into what specifically about those comments was so irritating.

“why don’t you have cable?”
“you need an internet connection at home!!!”
“my lcd tv is way nicer than any old tv. move into the 21st century”
etc.

recently, i found this great post on another blog…
“The reason they want you to fit in…”
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/11/the-reason-they-want-you-to-fit-in.html

not saying he is 100% right, but it is food for thought.

At the extreme, I might find new peers…

If we’re out of high school, we need to get past this.

It’s totally possible that every reader here is more media literate than average and able to resist that influence. I know for me, I have such intensely trashy TV-watching habits, the ads I see aren’t aimed at me at all (apparently, the folks who like what I like on TV buy violent video games, beer, and Noxzema) but I doubt I’m immune to that background affect.

(I went looking for a reference but all I can find are blog posts about Schor’s book – and she’s prolific enough Google Scholar isn’t really helping.) There’s a fair bit about the aspirational affects of TV on Americans in the ’50s that’s well documented, though – it’s not such a stretch to think we are equally subject to it.

I got teased for driving my old car, I’m a professional and everyone in my parking garage drove fancy cars, BMWs, Audis, Mercedes, etc. I drove, for 10 years, a mid-size american car and during that time some of my co-worker friends went through three cars (leased). There were lots of times I really wanted a new car but after years of not having a car payment I didn’t want a car payment. So when I was teased about my car I generally laughed it off and told my friends or co-workers that I’d get a new car when I could pay cash for it, that generally ended the conversation.

And when I finally got my nused car, my friends were so happy for me and they asked did you pay cash and when I told them yes, they were in awe.

Financial security via a thrifty lifestyle has allowed us to increase our donations, currently about 7% of AGI, more if volunteer work is counted.

We reap immense satisfaction from knowing that we are following the right path. In this regard, the opinion of others is, quite literally, immaterial

There are people that go on about how TV is a waste of time (I agree, for the most part) and then go on about how they watch DVD’s, and netflix. Whether you’re spending a few hours a night watch television itself, or watching television shows on DVD – is it not still the same thing? I don’t get it.

I stopped watching TV. It was wasting too much time. I’m addicted to Xbox live now, unfortunately.

The other thing I want to mention is that some have criticized Rob for letting his co-workers know that he has no TV. Rob should be able to talk to co-workers about his life without facing ridicule, just like Rob’s co-workers should be able to talk about their lives without facing ridicule.

Yep. Is reading “Twilight” better than watching “Mad Men”? Which one has the best dialogue? Which one is more innovative and gives you food for thought?