Watching TV to improve social skills?

[blackomen]

Unlike the vast majority of Americans, I rarely watched TV while growing up as a kid. When I finished college and moved out, I never even bothered to own a TV. I found that reading books, magazines, Internet articles, or even newspapers more rewarding for the time spent. However, I'll sometimes rent or download watch movies on my computer; or when my friends talk about some great episode they watched on TV, I'll try to find it on Youtube.

I'm wondering if watching TV a bit would help improve my social skills for PU. I started thinking this when my boss actually suggested to a coworker that he should watch talk shows to improve his presentation skills. I know, there are countless TV shows out there with major AFC brainwashing but I'm wondering if it'll be worthwhile to take some time and watch some TV every day in my case.. and any recommended shows?

 

[Bjj_playa]

socializing might improve social skills..hmm. or hanging out with some friends who have better social skills than you...better than watching it from the boob tube...heh

 

[Obsidian]

imo, tv is an incredible art medium for our age

 

[backbreaker]

make up your mind people.. it's either what the above poster said or it's the downfall to soceity, the reason AFCism is so wide spread.


I think the best thing to happen to you is that you didn't watch much TV growing up.. you had a distinct advantage over people like me. i had to unlearn before I can be reprogrammed

 

[Raikojo17]

you might think watchin TV woud give you more to talk about, but in my experiences when i talk to HB's i rarely talk about tv, if ever. and neither do they.

frankly i dont watch it much and dont find goin on and on about some dumb show entertaining. getting out there and talking about life and living it will improve your social skills alot more than watchin the idiot box all day.

ironically, people who watch TV all day have in average worse social skills than people who dont watch it at all.

go figure.

 

[Raikojo17]

double post

 

[xblitz44x]

Develop your social skills by going out and communicating with people. And when talking with someone, really *listen* to what they have to say. Figure out where it's coming from that's making them say that. Are they feeling nervous? Excited? Down on their luck? Listen beyond their words.

Sitting in front of a television and watching people recite scripted lines won't do much for your social skills.

 

[SucceedSocially]

I can't really say if it'll help your social skills, but it may make some conversations go a bit more smoothly. You know, everyone is talking about American Idol, or the Lost season finale, or the NBA/NHL playoffs, or whatever and you've seen those too so you can pitch in with your opinion instead of feeling out of the loop. Well technically, you could just read up about those things on news sites, but you get the idea.

 

[xblitz44x]

I can't really say if it'll help your social skills, but it may make some conversations go a bit more smoothly. You know, everyone is talking about American Idol, or the Lost season finale, or the NBA/NHL playoffs, or whatever and you've seen those too so you can pitch in with your opinion instead of feeling out of the loop. Well technically, you could just read up about those things on news sites, but you get the idea.

True. But if you don't enjoy those shows enough the watch them to begin with, then why would you go out of your way just to feel part of a conversation that "might" happen. If my conversations are based on nothing else besides American Idol and the NBA Playoffs then it's pretty certain the tie is destined to fail.

 

[Live-n-learn]

Definitely getting your ass out, instead of sitting it on the couch, will be better for developing and improving social skills as you're putting them directly into practice.

Plus, as Backbreaker indicated, you save yourself from all the bullsh!t social conditioning from the media trying to mold you into another afc. Thus, you have a better chance to build yourself as you like, not what society wants you to be like (afc).

 

[bigjohnson]

Watching TV to improve your socializing skills would be like going to a NASCAR race to improve your bicycle riding skills. You've dodged TV exposure for this long, good for you - if you're looking for you pat on the back that was it. Now if you want to improve something the best way is to go and do it.

Have fun, don't break anything.

 

[Obsidian]

then why would you go out of your way just to feel part of a conversation that "might" happen.

It could definitely pay off to watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy every now and then. Pretty much every girl watches that show. I watch House M.D. instead so I'm always at a disadvantage when tv shows come up in convos (and they do).