I'm in Canada (and have lived for a spell in the U.S.) and not watching television in both nations does strike many people as 'odd'.
For the idea of doing more of something "out of spite" in reaction to a preacher's recommendation that you avoid an activity to be 'better' in their eyes, check out this commercial:
It's apparently running in the U.S. and seems to do little to deter smokers from continuing in their habit (the YouTube comments seem to bear that out). As the commercials are funded by U.S. tobacco companies as part of a legal settlement, that may have been the intended result.
In a similar fashion, I doubt the linked essay will do anything to positively change the behaviour of those who watch television shows to excess.
'For the idea of doing more of something "out of spite" in reaction to a preacher's recommendation'
I mostly get that bit, I was just curious about why the linked article was being interpreted as "preachy" when I personally didn't see it as such. (You're right about the ad you linked: truly awful. I clicked away.)
I live in a country where the government has banned smoking in public, wants to tax "unhealthy" food, and is subservient to an EU which is making noises about banning alcohol as well, so we're well versed in ignoring moral messages from on high.
For the idea of doing more of something "out of spite" in reaction to a preacher's recommendation that you avoid an activity to be 'better' in their eyes, check out this commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhS65wyWnA8
It's apparently running in the U.S. and seems to do little to deter smokers from continuing in their habit (the YouTube comments seem to bear that out). As the commercials are funded by U.S. tobacco companies as part of a legal settlement, that may have been the intended result.
In a similar fashion, I doubt the linked essay will do anything to positively change the behaviour of those who watch television shows to excess.