No, that's your jewelry! That's your phone! That's your television!
So the fictional character gets upset. Maybe she broke up with her significant other, so she takes her diamond engagement ring and throws it into the ocean. This is supposed to signify the fact that she is now free.

Or she wants to get a guy off the phone with his work, so she tosses the phone out the window, where it flies and breaks into pieces when it hits the ground. This is supposed to signify the fact that there are more important things than work in this world, especially when you're with your family.

Or a guy is so enraged by what he sees on television that he throws a large object at it, breaking the television. This is supposed to signify that...he is really pissed, I'd assume.

This writing device drives me nuts. It's so unnecessary. You don't throw an expensive diamond ring into the ocean for the fishes. You sell that diamond ring and give yourself a vacation or luxury trips to the spa.

You don't throw away someone's phone. How rude is that? What kind of neurotic person takes another's expensive electronic device and ruins it? Plus there's the obvious fact that work isn't the only reason for a phone.

If you don't want the phone used, just take the battery out and hide it. Ruining a phone serves no purpose. That stuff costs money, especially the ritzy phone of a guy who works a lot.

I think it would hurt inside to see a fictional character throw an iPhone out the window. I've not seen it yet, but it's probably in the works somewhere.

And why would you ruin your own television, which probably cost you hundreds of dollars? Turn off the tv or change channels! It's not that difficult. There are buttons.

To be fair, though, I can think of a couple times when the TV destruction writing twist was managed effectively. The most recent example in my memory is in BBC's miniseries Jekyll. I remember thinking, "Wow, I actually understand why he wrecked the tv." It was a mind game between himself and his alter-ego, Hyde. When it's a mind game (or, let's say, supernatural forces which keep the tv on even when it's turned off), then it becomes more acceptable.

But if the character is upset by things people say about him on television, or if his favorite team lost and he had an irresponsibly huge bet on the game, or any other matter that can be solved by just changing the channel or turning the tv off, then the character has completely lost me when he destroys the tv.

Writing devices like these are guaranteed to remind me that what I'm seeing or reading is fake, because they're entirely impractical in 'real life.' Well, at least from what I've experienced. I'm sure someone somewhere throws other people's phones out windows or into lakes. And I want them nowhere near me, please.

I dunno; has anyone you've known ever done something like this? Ruined an expensive electronic device or thrown away something worth lots of money that could be pawned? What goes through your mind when you see this stuff happening in fiction?