How about no.

No shit man, ...Here, how about the following public service announcement..

"The Emergency Broadcast System is for suckers...., use your sixth sense to detect trouble."

bar codes for identification though, upvote and bring it on, for that.....

They had me before they said "laptop". Otherwise I support the idea.

while i'm not particularly opposed to the idea, there seem to be several faults within its reasoning. sure, i've got no problem turning off my tv for a week, in fact i urge everyone to do it (as a side note, i live in france and am not completely fluent in the language, so this is not a huge sacrifice). after all, that is the name of our collective, no?

the website says this is "about saying no to unfettered corporate media concentration and to the democratic deficit that results," but if there is one thing that i know, it is that internet video and blogs are especially democratic. essentially, that is what videosift is, a democratic expression of what registered users consider worthwhile viewing. the internet, at least the political side of it, is an independent expression and a way to find your way around the corporate controlled media filter (although it is not perfect since so many of the videos are simply transfers from corporate media).

furthermore, is this just a boycott on media? can i still use my computer for work-related activities? i know for a fact that fedquip, the poster of this clip, will not be participating since his work with netscape requires exposure to internet media on a daily basis.

i am not opposed to the ideal that this move is attempting to express but i think it is naive. should we also quit reading all newspapers, magazines, and books? after all, those sources of information are also corporately controlled and their printing is based, either directly or indirectly, on the bottom line. i know that a week away from all media would be difficult and enlightening, but i feel that this action is not very well thought out.

I'd agree with aaronfr. It seems like the 'quick fix' approach to the issue, similar to how fund raising events raise awareness and money for a short time and then when they are over everyone goes back to their normal lives. I don't particularly like the way people are guilted into fundraising events or into doing things like turning off your TV for a week - it seems a bit pushy and gimicky.

Instead of a reactionary boycott of television the better (though more complicated) message to promote is one of encouraging a more questioning and interactive viewer. That might not change the content that is broadcast, but it will stop us being another barcoded product of what we see.

They can sod off.

Expired in Queue - 4 day limit.