Despite my fondness for keeping the TV remote nearby, I strongly believe that television has a negative impact on society. It is merely another technological distraction that hinders us from fully experiencing life's offerings and facing challenges. Instead, we give in to laziness by snacking and drinking while lounging on the couch. Although some may consider television harmless, it actually poses a significant threat to society according to Corbett Trubey's assessment. The presentation of this form of entertainment has been infiltrated by greed and sloth which transformed it into an ad-saturated tool for brainwashing individuals, erasing their individuality, reinforcing stereotypes, and producing couch potatoes. Despite its immense popularity today, TV's sedentary nature promotes lackadaisical behavior among viewers leading them to become addicted while masking their true
...addiction.
Watching television is not only a time-waster, but it also has detrimental effects on viewers. Continuous exposure to TV gradually alters our thinking and the mere presence of it in front of us leaves us with no choice but to watch. Deciding to turn on the TV and selecting a channel results in our brains shutting down. As Steven Johnson notes, watching intelligent shows does not stimulate our minds any more than Monday Night Football challenges our bodies.
When we sit down in front of the television, our minds become fixated on the shows and we tend to overlook our surroundings. Rather than facing reality, television serves as a means of escape. However, it is important to remember that the TV world is far from authentic compared to the world outside. As Corbett Trubey reminds us, "There's a big, beautiful world out there, and not even the widest TV scree
or the sweetest Animal Planet documentary can compare to the real view". Consequently, viewers can be easily influenced by what they see on television.
Despite some individuals being able to resist advertising, many succumb to its influence. They may buy Gillette products after seeing Derek Jeter using them or switch to AT, only to discover that it is no better than their previous provider. Advertisements are designed to showcase the positive aspects of the products they promote, yet some people fail to recognize this.
Ronald Bailey suggests that watching TV is comparable to smoking as individuals acknowledge the potential negative impacts but still partake in the activity. The impact of TV on one's health is often questioned and generally deemed harmful. Even with efforts to quit, the appeal of TV entertainment proves difficult to resist. Viewers are lured by the humor, drama, and overall content of shows which keeps them engaged and anticipating future programming.
Excessive television consumption negatively affects various aspects of our lives, such as time management, cellular health, and knowledge acquisition. Nevertheless, we can address this issue by reducing our TV viewing time. It is not imperative to completely eliminate television from one's life; moderation is the solution.
