Yeah, I barely see ads in my life as well. It's definitely a better way to live.

The best thing about traveling in China for a little while was simply the fact that I couldn't understand Chinese unless I stopped and focused on it. With English the conversion of letters and words to information happens subconsciously and instantaneously so you're "forced" to understand it. It was essentially living generally ignorant of things that existed unless I wanted to discover something. I really miss it to be honest.