TV

When I was freshman in college, my roommate would channel surf during the commercials. I would always start to say, "Hey, I was watching that ...." meaning the commercials!!!! They were like mini plots I didn't want to miss. Also, I tend to have a problem talking to people when a TV is on in the same room. My eyes are always drawn back to the moving images, even when muted.

I grew up without TV but currently have cable. I love movies, CSI, and Law & Order. My vote is everything, TV included, in moderation and, of course, everyone will have their own level of moderation.

In a recently published book* on children and TV, one of the memorable comments made was that TV is not so bad, but that it stops us from doing other things. For example, instead of playing outside, acting out a play, taking a walk, meeting the neighbors, playing house, kids will watch TV and play video games. Active, productive hobbies (i.e. self entertainment techniques) fall by the wayside to passive, less developing couch sitting. Each of use have direct control over the very important power button. We must work to develop the terrible strength to move our fingers that tremendous distance from channel up and down, to TV off.

While TV, movies, and all such can be very fufilling -- a good community experience, a way of learning -- a stuffed schedule of favorite shows does block out other activities, including time to think in silence and look around at the world, making up your own mind without the constant drone of someone else's opinion ALWAYS in the background, spun with the facts they want presented, in the depth they choose.

Another important fact I find interesting about TV is how credits, supporting facts, and other important background information are all completely pushed off screen. All that matters is the image and the soundbyte.


*Found the book:
The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computers and Family Life
Author: Marie Winn
Publisher: Penguin Books; 25th Anv edition (April 30, 2002)
ISBN: 0142001082