Two people have deleted me from their friends lists here this week . I was thinking , and talking with my Mum about Why some people in the UK do'nt have a television :
I figure it must either be because (a) they can't afford one , (b) they are visually or audially handicapped , (c) they are schizophrenic and do'nt have one so they can't imagine that anyones relaying messages to them through  it , (d) they lead such busy lives that they barely have time to watch it , (d) they have children and they believe that television is likely to have an unhealthy influence on their kids , or (e) because they are snooty and sanctimonious and just want to be different , so they can enjoy looking down on the rest of us from their imagined moral high ground .
In my childhood I did'nt like our not having a tv , then we had a rented black and white one , then my parents decided not to have it , then eventually  bought a colour one .
I went to a Rudolf Steiner School and at that time , in the seventies , most Steiner people were very anti-television - I'm not sure why since Steiner died before tv was invented .
Sure there's a lot of  rubbish on tv , and , if people are so weak that they find their desire to watch it for hours every day is controlling them then it's probably in their best interests if they can manage without it .
To sacrifice all tv content because some of it is offensive is like banning all books because some of them are offensive .
I generally watch so little , relying more on dvd's and video's , though I like to be able to watch anything that seems worthwhile , or to be able to follow any 'big' news story on News24 or SkyNews .
I'm very much in favour of anyones right to live their lives as they choose  , so long as that does'nt harmfully impact on anyone else .
So why do I tend to jump to negative conclusions about anyone who can comfortably afford a tv and  licence , who is not significantly handicapped or ill choosing not to have one in their home ?
Not that I do'nt respect their right not to , or that it really bothers me ... I just tend to instantly think they must be  sanctimoniously making martyrs of themselves .
Which is daft , I know :  If they can contentedly live without it  , why on earth not .

I recently bought a dvd boxed set of three movies , for £9.99 from play.com : Little Children and Brokeback Mountain , which I've previously given my opinion of here , and : 'Fur : an imaginary portrait of Diane Arbus' , which I've just watched .
Diane Arbus was a renowned photographer , though the film is fiction loosely woven around fact . Set in late 1950's New York the married Diane Arbus - Hauntingly played by Nicole Kidman - becomes irresistably  fascinated by ,  drawn to and  involved with her new neighbour , played by Robert Downey Jr : Lionel , who has a genetic abnormality causing his entire body to be very hairy , and who manufactures and sells wigs made from his hair .
It's almost as bizarre as 'Being John Malkovich' , without ever quite descending into comic farce .
But like that movie it's (a) very original and unusual , and (b) entirely worth seeing and watchable  .
I was yawning towards the end , but then I do in the evenings , unless interactively stimulated by  conversation , or by 'creatively' posting something here .
It kind of set me off thinking about how we perceive and respond to other people who are markedly 'different' in some clearly  noticable way .
I have a stammer : I do'nt stammer if I'm laughing , crying , shouting , singing , whispering or talking in a silly  accent .
But as myself I do tend to significantly stammer , especially getting stuck on articulating names of people or anything else .
I'm kind of 'In Denial' about it in the sense that I do'nt really like to recognise it as a real problem .
On occasions some  may find it a little  offputting . Sometimes it's not at all or not much noticeable .
I did'nt stammer at all as a child , it  began slightly in my teens , and worsened in my twenties .
And how do I respond to anyone who's obviously very 'different' ?  -  Generally understandingly and acceptingly , so long as they're reasonably clean and non-threatening .
I once faintly  knew a man who did not like to wash , and who was'nt at all bothered if anyone commented on noticing that .
It truly does 'take all sorts ....' , and we're all different , some more so  than  others .
There are obviously  noticeable differences  between children , young , middle-aged and elderly people .
But  who are the elderly  if not young people grown old ?
I'm  not at all a 'preachy' or sanctimonious type of person , but , would'nt it be nicer if elderly folk were generally more highly valued in our society ?
Be friendly and respectful to and interested in elderly people - especially if they live alone . They may be very well in command of all their mental faculties ; They may be somewhat confused and able to remember what happened 50 or 60 years ago much more clearly than what happened yesterday , but , unless they demonstrate otherwise they'll be delighted to be noticed and treated with friendliness , interest and respect . . .
Do I always , given the chance , practice what I'm 'preaching' ? - Not always ,  I'm not the planets most outgoing person but  I try , and   there's a lot to be given and gained from friendly contact across  generational  gaps .