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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to loathe the huge flatscreen TV now sitting in my living room?

223 replies

loupiots · 20/01/2009 19:53

Our old, small, perfectly adequate TV was broken when the two year old threw his Thomas train at it.

This obviously provided dh with the perfect excuse to go out and buy some stupid, enormous flatscreen monstrosity which is now balefully sitting in the living room and pissing me off.

It just looks, there is no other word for it, common. And I just hate it.

When DH is out, I may load the kid up with the rest of his train collection and let him at it....

OP posts:
iloverosycheeks · 21/01/2009 10:38

YANBU - I cried when DP bought himself a 40" flatscreen when we moved into our new house, into my lovely new living room! I felt it was a big black hulking monster in the corner and really dominated the room, I also hated the bluray player that he got as it made films all weird and freaky, sort of hyper real. So I was in major strop about it considering he told me we couldnt afford a holiday cos we had jsut moved house - oh but we can afford a big fuck off telly!
anyway i have to say you do get used to it but I would have definately preferred 32" or smaller

Wizzska · 21/01/2009 10:38

Sleepycat - I just didn't want it on the wall because DH would have put it over the mantle piece instead of the beautiful mirror that is there at the moment. To me putting it there would have shouted 'TELLY' when going into the room, whereas now I can just look at my ahem...beautiful face. If it doesn't dominate too much, then it would be better on the wall. We have a small one on the wall in our bedroom.

PersephoneSnape · 21/01/2009 10:39

One of the many benefits of being a single parent is that when i buy a new telly - I decide what size it is. We just got a 32?. It?s not too big or small for our living room. Huge tellys are thought to be common because although they are coming down in price, they can be seen to be a measure of affluence. A lot of people on very low incomes will spend money on HUGE tellys, because it looks like they have enough spare cash to spend on big telly. A lot of the time the huge tellys are purchased with similarly huge interest rates.

GrinnyPig · 21/01/2009 10:43

I had no idea we were so common

We have a large flat screen LCD in the living room - big room - I think it looks good.

Aspirational American fridge - yup - we've had it for over ten years, our old fridge/ freezer was far too small.

HD projector and huuuge pull down screen in the other reception room. Not really my cup of tea, but DH loves it.

Erm - numerous games consoles...

Quite frankly, I don't care what other people think, it's all paid for, no debts here.

BonsoirAnna · 21/01/2009 10:45

Huge TVs are "common" because (like huge 4x4s) they are easily acquired and very visible signs of affluence that are favoured by the nouveau riche. People who have had money for longer tend to favour subtler displays of status.

VinegarTits · 21/01/2009 10:46

Well i'm not on a low income and i didnt buy mine on HP

I guess i just have bad taste

KatieScarlett2833 · 21/01/2009 10:46

Swigs white lightning and passes round a doobie.

38 inch flatscreen = check
choc brown leather corner sofa = check
cream carpets = check
"aspirational fridge" - would have if it fitted in the utility room, got the next best thing

Shell suits are sooo comfy.

MillyR · 21/01/2009 10:48

I think 32 is also too big for a sitting room, and would make no distinction between the owner of the 32 and the owner of the 40+. So I suppose it is all relative and a bit silly!

Tortington · 21/01/2009 10:50

i hate them

GrinnyPig · 21/01/2009 10:51

Anna you said

"People who have had money for longer tend to favour subtler displays of status."

Give me some examples of subtle displays of status. Really, I'd love to hear them.

Tortington · 21/01/2009 10:51

listen to this shiznit, dh is desperate for a 'joey' chair from friends - that he can FLIP up

i told him he can fuck off and die

cuppa · 21/01/2009 10:52

I like my big telly, cos my eyesight is shit and a small one is just too, erm, small.

BonsoirAnna · 21/01/2009 10:52

Knowing how to play an instrument well.
Being very knowledgeable about food and a great cook.

Tortington · 21/01/2009 10:53

its true poor people have grand displays of wealth that they clearly dont have

or

common people gone rich ( like animals gone baaaad )

true MC peeps dont have big tellies, and if you do and you thought you were - your WRONG! your a common pleb with money

Polgara2 · 21/01/2009 10:54

Oh dear - don't know what white lightning or a doobie is but obviously I need to find out fast because we have a 'common' tv and are getting an 'aspirational' fridge freezer as well!

Our room is large so it doesn't look overpowering at all and the freezer section will be superb compared to those midget freezer bits in those old fashioned ones - so there.

MillyR · 21/01/2009 10:58

MC people often do have big tvs, they just hide them away in other rooms so that visitors don't know the big tv is there.

Vulgar · 21/01/2009 10:58

YANBU - tellies should be in proportion to the room

Surround sound is another thing I don't get. DH spent hours wiring up our front room (front room = common?).

I hate it.

i like the sound to come out of the TV only/

BrianOBrain · 21/01/2009 10:59

It's fine. It's when it gets put up on the wall. That's when to worry.

blueshoes · 21/01/2009 11:03

I don't like watching such big screens. Just dominates the room and my eyes go funny from all the lights. I actually get a little stressed.

GrinnyPig · 21/01/2009 11:06

Anna, I know a lot about food and consider myself to be a competent cook - I also need a large (American style) fridge to store it in. We're quite a musical family too!

I just don't get the whole obsession with fitting into a particular class box.

VinegarTits · 21/01/2009 11:10

Each to their own i say, having a big tv has got nothing to do with class (although some self-labelled MC folk might try to make out it has)

And only MC folk seem to have this obsession about fitting into a class box imo

WilyWombat · 21/01/2009 11:12

We have a large American Fridge - I love it to bits and yes its full!

We have a flatscreen which I lurve - I always hated the fact that the TV dominated the room and took up space, now its on the wall and out of the way. But size isnt everything I agree the big ones are a bit chavtastic...no they dont wear shell suits but if they were to get dressed in the morning that would be their choice along with large gold bling jewellery.

My DH took ages to talk me into a flatscreen and would have loved a large one I put my foot down....he is now after surround sound fgs how much better will Family Guy be with surround sound in a small room?

chocolatedot · 21/01/2009 11:13

BonsoirAnna, can't agree that "old money" cares about food, I think that's a very middle class trait. All the truly posh people I know (as in titled/stately homes/ senior military etc) view food as fuel.

matildax · 21/01/2009 11:14

by gonaenodaethat.......

'how is it common? is it wearing a shell suit?'

superb!!!

im with the they are great for watching movies posse.

(passes round the ace lager and giant gold hoop (argos) earrings. )

MillyR · 21/01/2009 11:15

I'm not so sure I can deal with another thread about trivial things that make you in some way common; it is just too soon after the aubergine incident.

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