BOOKS VS TELEVISION

It was her belief in the value of effort itself that prevented her from buying a television set.
She was a passionate reader, and she thought that reading was one of the noblest efforts of all; in contrast, she found writing to be a great waste of time - a childish self-indulgence, even messier then finger painting - but she admired reading, which she believed was an unselfish activity that provided information and inspiration. She must have thought it a pity that some poor fools had to waste their lives writing in order for us to have sufficient reading material. [...]
But she drew the line at television. It took no effort to watch [...] My grandmother observed that television was draining what scant life remained in the old people 'clean out of them'; yet she instantly craved a TV of her own!
(John Irving | A Prayer For Owen Meany)