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I’ve had this question for a while. For the past couple of decades, TV has become more and more of a stigma, there has been so much awareness going out, why it is so bad, and harmful etc. I know ofmany families that have given away their TV’s, etc. Why is Internet any better? you can get everything on the internet and more. and kal vechomer smartphones! its like having more than just TV in your pocket! can someone please explain to me?
I’m asking honestly, accepting all answers.
Internet is potentially worse, but it has a lot more practical (and sometimes necessary) functions.
TV is primarily an entertainment tool (the vast majority of which is treif), which one can get along fine without.
The internet is only okay if it is strongly filtered. And even then best to avoid if possible.
I was going to write what DY wrote, but then saw that he already wrote it.
I would just add that the reason why people often have internet and not tv is because of the practical (and often necessary) functions of internet, but they then have to be careful that they don’t end up using the internet for the same things or worse that they would have been using the tv for.
Also as Joseph pointed out, one should only use internet if necessary.
The danger of internet is precisely the fact that it is much easier to rationalize its use since it is practical and can be necessary. So one has to really think carefully before acquiring and/or using it to determine if it is really necessary. And even if one has to use internet, its use should be limited.
As for the fact that I am using Internet right now? I thought about it carefully, and came to the conclusion that it is the right thing for me to be doing right now.
Brita to the rescue again
What DY said.
And as LY concurred.
What’s Brita? Is that a filter? Filters don’t make internet kosher – they just make it less treif. It’s still better to avoid it altogether if possible. But everyone is different, and everyone’s situation is different.
Brita is a water filter.
I don’t even feel comfortable drinking filtered tap water where I live so I guess I can relate to the fact that even filtered Internet has problems and some people are better off avoiding it altogether.
Thank you
Its not worse, its just so people can say “we dont have a TV (and we’re better than you?)” but watch everything online. Ytzr hara is one tricky guy.
Plenty of good people that would have never been watching stuff are binging because of this. The house isn’t as closed off as it used to be.
“Its not worse, its just so people can say “we dont have a TV”
There was a time TVs were delivered to certain neighborhoods in AC boxes.
True. My point is that at least they knew they had TV’s, as opposed to people with internet and no TV that think they dont have a TV even though theyre watching online.
I dont think they really think that. I think they know good and well that they are wrong, but, in the spirit of “nish oif shabbos geredt, but…”, by somehow watching online and not through a box called television, is somehow makes it “not so bad” in their minds.
agreed
I think that what happens is that people have internet because they need it for work, etc, and once they have it, they end up using it to watch tv. It’s the same way that if they happened to be somewhere where there was a tv, they might end up watching it, but since they make sure not to have a tv in their homes in the first place (since it’s not needed), it doesn’t come up. And even if they go somewhere where there is a tv, it might not be an issue since it is ingrained in them that a television is something that is completely assur and that they never touch.
That’s probably also one of the reasons why people sometimes find it hard not to speak loshon hora, even though they don’t find it hard not to do aveiros. Since you use your mouth all the time to talk, it’s hard to always be careful not to speak l’h. On the other hand, when it comes to most other aveiros, you can usually avoid having the assur object around, and it’s ingrained in you that that item is assur and you don’t go near it.
When it comes to something that is used on a regular basis for a muttar purpose, it is harder to not use it for assur purposes.
“Since you use your mouth all the time to talk, it’s hard to always be careful not to speak l’h. ”
Yet, those same people dont use their mouth for nivul peh, to talk pritzus or even discuss their own shortcomings (generally speaking). people use their feet all the time, yet they dont go around kicking people.
I dont think it is so much the mouth as it is, what one is used to using the mouth for. just about anyone will tell you, stop using foul language, or stop discussing such a prust topic, but, how many will tell you stop speaking lashon hara.
Watching TV online, is simply the yetser hara convincing you it is ok.
LU- That is not why its hard to not speak lashon hara. Each generation has its challenges. Do you ever feel like you want to serve Avodah zara? The answer is no- because, with a few exceptions, that is NOT the challenge of our generation. However, by the first Bais Hamikdash, a lot of Bnei Yisroel WERE serving avodah zara, that was their challenge.
Hashemisreading- i read over your question and you literally answered your question in the question. Precisely because you can do so much more, it is OK. you can listen to a shiur, give tzedaka, go on the coffee room 😉 and so many other good things, all on the internet/
Using the internet is an issue I almost sure everyone will be makil (lenient) about eventually.
When the gedolim realize they can’t stop something controversial from taking place they eventually become makil (leinient) about it.
Take a look at other controversial issues and see what happened.
First machine matzohs.
When they first came out they where considered forbidden
Because you can’t clean a matzoh machine from chometz properly.
Today everyone eats machine matzos on passover.
Second yeshiva secular studies programs.
When the tzar of russia demanded the natziv teach secular studies in velozian.
He closed the yeshiva down .
It was impossible for him to even contemplate such a thing.
Today every child attends such a yeshiva.
Similarly with the internet .
today its impossible for them to even contemplate it .
But i think they will allow it and use it extensively like for example the Orthodox union and chabad does today.
give them time and every Jewish rabbi and Jewish institution will be on the internet.Another consideration is that TV has always had objectionable content.
In the early days of the internet, it was too slow for transmitting video. It’s only in recent years that the internet has become a practical alternative to TV. Advances in computer technology (processor speed and storage capacity) are also relevant here.
Kitov -“Today everyone eats machine matzos on passover”
Speak for yourself! I don’t eat machine Matzos.
I do have internet obviously.TV is worse because it is nonstop. You don’t need any input whatsoever, and it’ll just keep playing forever. Which is a huge promoter of laziness. One needs to provide constant input when using the internet.
“TV is worse because it is nonstop. You don’t need any input whatsoever, and it’ll just keep playing forever. Which is a huge promoter of laziness. One needs to provide constant input when using the internet. ”
Not true.
TV addict: continual channel-surfing with remote control: Click … click … click … click … click
Internet addict: Click … click … click … click … click
TV is MUCH better than internet, if someone would ask me, “I am going to watch the TV shows and movies online anyway, should I buy a TV or watch online” I would tell him to buy an expensive flat panel high resoltion TV. At least you cant badmouth other people, spread laitzanus or worse belittle gedolei torah or torah institutions like you can with access to a keyboard.
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