Affects of Television

Television is of the things in the world that is shared by almost every human being and has become a daily part of life.  When it comes down to it, watching television is just another way to take a deep breath after a hard day’s work, or a hectic day, and just relax.  While watching television, you can eat a sandwich, drink a soda, sit in the family room with your family and friends, or be all alone. 

 

One problem, though, is that you are just sitting…there is often no communication with anyone, verbally or physically.  Eyes are usually pinned to the television and arms are usually resting on the arms of the sofa.    When someone walks into the room and tries to spark a conversation, people are so fixated on what is on television that they don’t even hear what is being said to them.  Watching television not only

takes away the opportunity of the watcher to verbally express himself about how their day went or what is on their mind it also hurts the person trying to spark the conversation because they are being ignored. 

 

The average person spends 4 to 5 hours a day watching television.  People who think that television does not influence them and their personal lives might be surprised to find out how much it does.  People who watch reality television shows may begin to think that people’s lives are really like those depicted on television.  Television gives a false impression of what is normal in society and people watching may try to incorporate what they see on television into their own lives.  This begins to change who they truly are as a person and their morals may get flipped upside down.  If someone becomes famous for something as simple as having their daily lives in the sticks televised, people watching their show may begin to do outrageous things in their own lives to try to gain fame and notoriety.

 

It is not just the time people waste watching television that is a problem, it is the way that television programs have changed for the worst in the last twenty years.  Some popular channels, such as Comedy Central, seem to be oblivious to the way that their programs portray society and negatively influence people, especially children.  These programs use vulgar language, violence, and nudity during all hours of the day.  Some of the most popular shows, such as The Jersey Shore and The Perfect Fit cover parts of society that would have never been televised in the past. The Jersey Shore focuses on partying, drinking, sex, and drugs. The Perfect Fit focuses on the way bras fit certain women.  Do we really need television shows on these topics?  It is extremely hard for today’s parents to monitor what their children are watching to keep them on the right track because of the number of these types of shows and how often they are broadcast.   I firmly believe that these big television corporations need to step up and take responsibility for the damaging effects that their shows are having on society and people of all ages.