What is television? The dictionary defines it as the transmission of visual images of moving and stationary objects, generally with accompanying sound, as electromagnetic waves and the reconversion of received waves into visual images. However in reality television is one mindless commercial after another. It is a constant barrage of consumer messages telling me what I want. Often television is unnecessary noise. Most importantly television is not as friendly and harmless as it seems. The number of negative problems directly linked to television far out weighs the positive rewards. Caught in our own addiction people often wonder what is so bad about it. Television has negative consequences on society, health, family and it is an addiction, however, there are some things about it that are not bad.
             Television exposes children to inappropriate language. So many children watch television unsupervised and pick up these words at young ages and start using them in public. Violence is another thing television viewers are overly exposed to. Viewers become desensitized to violence by watching it over and over on their television screen. Television is extremely graphic in it's portraying of sex, drugs and many other negative conotations. Television contributes to trends of violence, crime, and drug increases. Television also reinforces sex roles and stereotyping.
             Family values are changing as a result of the popularity of television. It used to be that dinner was a meal eaten in the dinning room with the family present. The scene has changed to "Hurry grab a plate and a TV tray, Survivor is about to start." Time that used to be spent with the kids or making the kids play out side has been replaced by TV time. The television has become a cheap babysitter, people let their kids watch it because the children stay quiet which allows parents to get things done. Some shows are okay but the excessive amounts we allow children to wa...