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Effect of Television on youth
What is the effect of television on youth
What is the effect of television on youth
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When the first television was first successfully shown, people thought that this invention brought people to a new age, and that the television was a huge benefit to humanity. Unfortunately, since then the Golden Era of television's moral and standards have fallen drastically. We are far away from the days when Lassie and the town of Mayberry ruled the airways and were the talk of America. What was once intended as a benefit for society has become its detrimental fall, now instead of upholding American society's standards, television is working to corrupt the very society it intended to help.
When used on television programs that children watch, vulgar vernacular degrade society's standards; children use the words without thinking about the true meaning of the word possibly to show disrespect another person. A good example of this would be a clip of South Park, where the character named Randy has made it to the last round of Wheel of Fortune, and the category is “People that Annoy You.” Randy's puzzle reads “N_GGER,” and Randy's guess was “nigger,” instead of the answer “nagger.” This racial slur being used in this sense shows children how outraged people will get, but failed to show how the subtle consequences really happen. This is a far cry from when Opie would get a stern talking to by his “paw” for just saying the word “darn” or “gosh dangit.” Television has advanced “now to the new age of liberal enlightenment,” using words that were once taboo in the 1950s like “darn” and “shucks” to “damn” and “shit” in almost every line. It is this constant bombardment on the children everyday desensitizes them to the use of these words, and they begin using these words in defiance of their parents' wishes.
Back in the 1950s, most ...
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... ago, the idea of the smut that is being pushed on viewers today would be considered absolutely appalling, and now it is being thrown at us from all sides like insurgents attacking friendly forces. The outlook looks gloomy, but until the American society has stood up to fight against this enemy to take back the morals of society. What will happen with the change of society, we can only hope for the best.
Works Cited
Johnson, Steven. “Watching TV Makes You Smarter.” nytimes.com 24 April 2005. 20 March 2010
Sipe, Corey. “How Media Affects Society.” Associatedcontent.com 01 September 2006. 20 March 2010
Stevens, Dana. “Thinking Outside the Idiot Box.” Slate.com 25 April 2005. 20 March 2010
Jeffrey D. Sachs’s essay “ A Nation of Vidiot” focuses on his views about the American relationship with televisions. In his essay explaining why people should avoid watching TV too much. And the author also gives readers a reason to believe in the articles that he wrote. He explained the problem to television advertising used to sell the product and the country's politics. There are fine examples why developing countries the consequences that have ever television were created. And he has to convince his readers when he criticized some of the problems seen too much television can cause people watch television as reduced memory, and body weakness. However, for the children, the TV screens the main tool of the children. The authors also offer TV how difficult and dangerous for television viewers. Overall it’s a pretty interesting read, but one thing is sure: the essay is a
Postman has valid points when he claims that television and media are destroying the American society. Postman is right to assume that television is manipulating the way Americans think. However, television can provide Americans with both right and wrong morals. Since this book was written in 1985, Postman could not have predicted the influence technology has on the current American population. The theory he applies to television is similar to the theory he probably would have used on modern day media. The dependency we have on media reiterates Postman’s thesis that Americans are losing critical thinking skills and basic human values.
Presently 98% of the households in the United States have one or more televisions in them. What once was regarded as a luxury item has become a staple appliance of the American household. Gone are the days of the three channel black and white programming of the early years; that has been replaced by digital flat screen televisions connected to satellite programming capable of receiving thousands of channels from around the world. Although televisions and television programming today differ from those of the telescreens in Orwell’s 1984, we are beginning to realize that the effects of television viewing may be the same as those of the telescreens.
Imagine a world in which presidential debates were not televised, and a person would have to read the newspaper to get all their political news. Just how different would our country be today? Television has a huge effect on American politics. It is often the main source from which people derive their reasoning and opinions from. There is a plethora of news television channels to choose from and gather information from. These channels often run all times of the day. Keeping American citizens up to date on all developing news. Television properly helps U.S citizens vet and get to know the candidate, as well as the candidate's plan.
Before one can decide how entertainment media affects American values, one must discern what exactly American values are. In 1965, Sociologist Robin Williams identified 12 American values:
TV for Chickens is a project by contemporary Finnish artist, Tea Makipaa. In this project she created a television show showing the lives of free range chickens. She showed this to chickens being raised in a factory farm. Factory farms are dark crowded places where chickens become bored or panicked and often kill themselves or others. John of the “vlogbrothers”, Youtube video bloggers uploaded a video discussing this project. He notes that after watching it the chickens became more docile and less likely to murder one another, and raises the question “If this is what TV does to chickens what does it do to humans?” This is not referring to all television programming but specifically television programs that show us an idealized version of everyday life such as Sex and the City, How I met your mother, Scrubs. Popular television programs create an indifference towards social change, because they offer an idealized escape that convinces us that there is something wrong with our personal approach to living and not something wrong with the systems in place.
Today’s society has become a visually based culture and, as a result, people learn and act from what they see. With the advent of television, many programs have been aired ranging from news programs to sitcoms and from game shows to talk shows, but talk shows, today, have the most effect on the public. Daily, viewers turn on their televisions and many are bombarded with images of sex, drugs, and violence on the talk shows. Unfortunately, many people are either disturbed or affected by what they see. As Vicki Abt and Leonardo Mustazza point out in their article, “Coming After Oprah: Cultural Fallout in the Age of the TV Talk Show,” “Surely long-term exposure to this genre has consequences for the way we judge ideas, behaviors, and ‘values’” . . .” (Abt and Mustazza 26). Despite many people’s beliefs that daytime talk TV today is purely entertainment, it is certain that it presents many immoral values and distorts the reality of how our society should behave.
The invention of the television has had an impact on all aspects of American's lives. It has affected how we work, interact with others, and our foreign relations. One part of American society that it has especially affected is presidential elections. Television has impacted who is elected and why they were elected. Since the 1960's television has served as a link between the American public and presidential elections that allows the candidate to appear more human and accountable for their actions; consequently this has made television a positive influence on presidential elections. But it has also had a negative affect on elections, making presidential candidates seem like celebrities at times and making it easier to publicize mistakes made by candidates.
... viewing quality becomes and the more channels we can get, the more people are likely to stay inside. Don’t get me wrong, I love TV, and I feel that it is one of the most important inventions that this world has been blessed with; but I feel that it is taking away from some of the “realness” of our lives. People are becoming less healthy, they are developing eye and other health problems, and they don’t know what is real and what is not any more. I hope that in the future television designers and makers can develop so new technologies that would improve and not worsen our environment. The television is a very helpful and important tool that has had a great impact on our society, but we need to be aware of how this tool has also affected out environment as well, so next time you watch you television, think about what impact you might be having on our environment!
The television was once thought of as a wonderful invention. Time is proving that this invention is not living up to this grand idea. Since its invention in 1923, television is leaving a legacy of broken promises and failed expectations. Unfortunately, the most innocent in the American culture, the children have become the victims of this disappointment. The saddest part is that they are unaware of this impact until it’s too late. They do not realize the tragic consequences that await their adult lives. Television has had a detrimental, negative effect on the entire American culture.
Television Study Over the years, television has been a very controversial subject. Many people have argued that television corrupts minds by forming unrealistic morals and beliefs while others find it simply informative or entertaining. As the years have gone on television has drastically change. Television has become one of the primary channels used to keep us informed on everything that is happening in society as well as create social norms. During television executive Lauren Zalaznick's 2010 TED talk event: The conscience of television she discuss her thoughts on how television has a conscience.
Television is everywhere these days, not just in our living rooms but in bathrooms, kitchens, doctor's offices, grocery stores, airplanes, and classrooms. We have access to TV virtually anywhere and as American's we are taking advantaged of it. Adults aren't the only ones watching TV; children today are watching more TV than ever before. TV has even become known as "America's baby-sitter." (Krieg). Meaning that parents are now using the television as a way of entertaining their children while they attempt to accomplish other things such as cooking and cleaning.
Television is a form of media that has great ability to influence and brainwash the viewing public. The talking box in one’s living room has assumed the overpowering role it plays today as a result of the weakness of society. This may seem like a negative view but a society’s strength is based on the relationships between people and when so much time is spent away from others and together with the media, the actions that take place are often times a reflection of what television presents. In President Clinton’s speech, he brings forth this very point and he acknowledges the family’s increasing weakness and calls on all people to bring back the values of the past and stop the media from playing such a huge role in our community. The overwhelming influence of the media is a constant threat to the maintenance of traditional family values and to the protection of our children’s future. Nevertheless, television cannot be changed for it is too big and powerful but compromises can be made that can strengthen society and help keep certain values protected.
In the argumentative essay “T.V. Addiction” by Marie Winn, Winn relates watching television to having an addiction with drugs and alcohol. The television experience allows us to escape from the real world and enter into a pleasurable and peaceful mental state. When it comes to television, Marie asks the following question: Is there a kind of television viewing that falls into the more serious category of destruction addiction? I believe there is. Why do so many people, instead of doing what they’re supposed to be doing, put everything on hold and just focus on television? I think this is because they want an escape from their problems.
Television can be seen as a very good thing to have come out of the 20th Century, and it can be seen as something that should never have been invented. There is no arguing though about the dependency and love many people have for television. Much of the world, especially America, depends on television for a great range of things from education, to information, to entertainment. Television has shaped and changed our society and our world in ways that can never be fully understood.