To buy, or not to buy, a new TV
Sometime in 1997, my mother told me of their plan to buy a television set. I was bursting with such excitement that I had to skip class on the day they brought our new TV home. It was a 14-inch colored TV. Before the TV, we listened to drama and news through our cassette player. As a child, I had a hard time with the radio since I had to use my full imagination to visualize what the anchor or the voice actors were talking about. But with our new TV, all I had to do was to press the power button and watch the show on screen.
Our TV was one of the best at that time. Some in our neighborhood had black and white TV sets, while others had none at all. Though there were only three to five channels available, we still enjoyed watching the news, basketball games and “teleseryes.” We prayed that the antenna’s reception would not be affected whenever there was a storm or strong winds.
A year after, we bought a VHS player so we could watch movies. Then in 2000, we upgraded to a CD player, even as some of our neighbors bought CD/DVD players, with the popularity of VHS starting to decline. VHS tapes were more fragile, while DVDs offered better quality digital recordings.
In 2005, our TV antenna was damaged by a strong wind. We stopped watching our favorite channels. Still, we were able to watch movies until 2007, when our TV would not switch on anymore. A technician tried to troubleshoot the problem, but the TV could not be fixed. So, we thought of buying a new one. We wanted the latest model and a more popular brand.
We struggled financially when I started college in 2009. Our money was not even enough for my expenses in school. There were a lot of priorities. Year after year, the plan of buying a new TV failed to materialize.
Meanwhile, some of our neighbors and friends already had flat-screen, satellite TVs. We started to feel that we were a step behind in terms of technology.
Without TV, our radio kept us updated on the news. I also read newspapers more often, which made me realize that TV is more for entertainment.
In 2016, we bought a 21-inch TV, which we are using until now. It’s still a CRT TV, but larger than our old one. We use a satellite TV connection, and our subscription allows us to watch 30 or more channels. My younger cousins would often come to watch their favorite Korean and cartoon channels.
A month ago, someone asked if I had any plans of buying a new TV. It is true that there are new TV models nowadays that offer better image resolution. HD TVs are fascinating. I have also read about some people who were overwhelmed by the crystal-clear picture of ultra high-definition TVs. Should I buy a new, better TV?
We are living in a fast-paced world where we are easily tempted to aspire for something new, something better. People go to malls or surf the internet to look for the next best thing. However, this pursuit would never end. Manufacturers work tirelessly to ensure that their products will continue to seduce consumers. Businesses and marketers are unceasingly developing better strategies to attract customers.
The best thing for me is to be happy with what I have and stop wanting for more, especially those that are unattainable given my limited resources.
While it is fine to spend on a few luxuries once in a while, our priority, I believe, should always be on our “needs” rather than our “wants.” We should not force ourselves to buy anything just because we envy our friends or neighbors. The Bible says, “You must not be envious of your neighbor’s house… or anything else he has” (Exodus 20:17, The Living Bible).
In the meantime, I will just enjoy the TV that we have now. I can watch a lot of sports, news and religious channels. I will continue to use this until it stops working—and that’s the time I will buy a new one. I won’t mind if others have more advanced TVs.
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