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.
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Some television shows such as “Blues Clues” and “Sesame Street” can improve children reading and problem solving skills. This takes up a massive amount of space in the brain. Television also reinforces sex roles and stereotyping. Some shows are okay but the excessive amounts we allow children to watch are not healthy. People always end up watching television for much longer than planned. Now, since there is seven days in week that leaves between forty-two and seventy hours of this “free time” now how much of that time does the average American spend watching television? The answer is about 35 hours a week that is about four hours a night.
The amount of time one spends watching television makes it and an addiction, especially because it is almost impossible to quit. The scene has changed to “Hurry grab a plate and a TV tray, Survivor is about to start. It used to be that dinner was a meal eaten in the dinning room with the family present. In theory people sleep eight hours a day and go to school or work for approximately six to eight hours leaving eight to ten hours of “free time” a day.
Family values are changing as a result of the popularity of television. Watching the occasional program can be a good source of relaxation. With all this “free time” what skill could people have mastered? If all the televisions broke or if the television never existed what would the world be doing? However as with any addictive drug it is much easier to never start. Plus the numbers of educational and informative programs on television are few and far apart. Watching it only burns a few calories, linking it directly to obesity.
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