I’d be thrilled to have a black screen instead of ads. I suspect you assume that my motivation is to escape the interruption. To me, let me tell you—the interruption is a mild annoyance, while the ads themselves are an active assault.

Especially now that they’re individually and programmatically targeted to showcase and inflame the neuroses, health concerns, and predilections of each of the specific people in the room around the television.

Amazing how the HIV commercials only appear when individuals in risk groups are around. Those outed a friend once—luckily in a supportive environment.

And the random miscellaneous cancer drug ads come on when the friend who’s an older cancer survivor comes to visit. And the sports betting ads when friends facing gambling addiction are around. And if I hear one more ad hawking supplies for squealing tiny humans when new parents are around, so help me…