We have missed five years of The Simpsons and Seinfeld . We have not seen a single episode of SeaChange or Wildside . We could not join in the outrage over Beyond the Fatal Shore . We do not recognise soap stars, news readers or most politicians in the street. I've realised more than ever how central television is to our shared cultural experience.
Conversation is peppered with shorthand references to shows.
Recently, though, television has made a sneak return into my life. I joined a gym. On the treadmill or stationary bike, I face a bank of four screens, all tuned to different channels with the sound down. Dance music pumps around me. Images flash by, a surreal jumble of silent talk shows, cooking demonstrations, rock videos, natural disasters and people selling things.