T. V: Negative Effects On The Lives Of American People

     What role does television play in society? For decades we have seen many parts of our world rapidly going through changes in technology. Today’s society has been transformed by means of communication and the available information through mass media. Most Americans rely on television for news, sports, and entertainment. Television is just one of the many examples of how technology has changed our lives. Since the invention of the television in the early 1900’s, it has played a very important role in our lives. Having a television set in the home has become very essential in today’s society. We depend on it to entertain us with its sitcoms and to inform us about current world issues. The

The negative effects of television are huge. To minimize the potential negative effects of television, it's important to understand what the impact of television can be on children.

The Television is often the centerpiece of typical American house. TVs are now a representative the American dream. TVs are even used to measure finical wellbeing. Huge flat screen TVs symbolize success, while smaller TVs represent modesty. People crowd around the TV to watch the big game, to catch up on the news and keep up with pop culture. Is there something wrong with this so-called wonder device known as the Television? Marie Winn, author of book Unplugging the plug-in drug, argues this point in the chapter “The Trouble with Television” claiming that the television negatively affects families and specifically children. Marie Winn is an author and journalist who is known for her write ups on wildlife and television. The book was published in 1987 and describes eight ways in which the television is damaging. Winn makes it a point not to argue against the content of television, but rather how the television effects family relationships and is a detriment to children’s development. While I agree with some of Winn’s, overall, I disagree with her assessment of television. The points that Winn made that I disagree with include, TV allows kids to grow up less civilized, TV keeps family from doing other things, TV makes children less resourceful, TV has a negative effect on children’s school achievement and TV has a negative effect on children’s physical fitness.

In the articles "The Box That Changed America" and "Television Transformed," the author elaborates on how the television has impacted American culture over time. One article directly gives information on how the TV impacts American children, and Americans. "The Box That Changed America" states that "Kids weren't playing outside as often. Commercials for cigarettes and junk food encouraged bad habits" (Tarshis 21). This shows that American's were becoming more attached to their televisions, leaving less time for other things, such as reading. It also shows that commercials could lead people into doing such things they wouldn't do normally. In the other article, the author writes about how new technology changes how Americans watch TV, and

Television is an object that has shaped American lives for many years. Television has a positive effect on American families. Television is one of the multifarious items that influences human lives heavily nowadays. Watching television is an advantage as it provides a lot. For instance, television is educational. Television is also entertaining. Lastly, television is a necessary object for American families as it provides shows and aspects that families rely on laboriously to survive.

1938 was the beginning of television. E.B. White said “I believe TV is going to be the test of the modern world, and in this new opportunity to see beyond the range of our vision, we shall discover either a new and unbearable disturbance of the general peace or a saving radiance in the sky. We shall stand or fall by TV, of that I am quite sure." We are now living in an age of electronics. Ninety-seven percent of all American homes have at least one TV (Why I do not have a TV?). Not just that, but most homes also contain laptops, tablets, and smartphones which allow additional viewing of media. Television started as an experiment and has now become a franchise. Even though that may seem like an achievement, as E.B White said “we shall discover either a new and unbearable disturbance of the general peace or a saving radiance in the sky”, and I personally feel that television is a disturbance to us all.

Although TV is not always a good thing, america would be a way different place without it without TV life would be so different. 1 reason that TV is so important is it brings entertainment to people all across the world another reason that TV is good it has a good economy affect on america. TV has been making people smile and bringing them entertainment for over 96 years, and 8 months. There are many channels. Some are only news channels. Some are only for sports. Some others for films, cartoons or songs. There are also many programs and film for children. In the text it says “Variety shows such as Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town provided a mix of comedy, opera, popular song, dance, acrobatics, and juggling. Quiz shows attracted large audiences,

Television has made a great impact on American culture, it can change how people think and behave. Many people dedicate hours of their free time to view television programs of different genres such as comedy, reality, and the news. It can change the way a person feels to the way a person acts just by watching a certain program. Even though television is entertaining, television does not always contribute good to society because it promotes stereotypes, it inhibits interactions and it gives information that is incorrect.

Once we finished talking about her memory of World War II, I shifted the discussion to what her favorite time period was. Without hesitation she immediately said her favorite time growing up was the 1950s. She was a teenager during the 50s and she spent so much time hanging out with her friends going to car hops, ballroom dances, diners, drive-in theaters, and spent time watching television. Television to her revolutionize her life with TV Shows like: I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, and the emergence of marketing commercials. The breakout of Rock N’ Roll music fueled her love for Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Bill Haley. She also described her love for movies and the multiple genres that encompassed the movie industry from nuclear paranoia to space exploration to teenage rebellion, and old western films about the West.

Fox’s television shows, Glee, was an introduction to the frequent ‘social issues’ teenagers in America faced daily. Glee is a musical comedy drama. The cast are majority Caucasians and addressed topics commonly faced by children such as “cyber bullying, schools shootings, suicides” are just to name a few many issues. Once Glee’s season ended, Fox has always been a trendy television station. Fox needed an innovative television show to satisfy their audience. The entrance of Fox’s television shows “Empire”. “Empire is a powerful drama about a family dynasty set within the glamorous and sometimes dangerous world of hip-hop music” 1(Fox.com/Empire). Like ‘Glee’, Fox’s drama show Empire addresses a number of social issues as well that ‘currently plague America’s society’, specifically the African American community, such as ‘homosexuality’, ‘mental illness’, and ‘police brutality’.

Ah, yes, the television. An entire new way to spread news and ideas created in the late 1920’s. Was the television made back then to consume our entire mind, or used as a way to brainwash kids into believing they need all these brand new, expensive toys? The answer is no. What once was a luxury, now seems to be a huge staple in every single house across America. Instead of playing outside using sticks and rocks to play kitchen, children are inside, watching a cartoon character explain the alphabet to them. Is this a good, or a bad aspect? Well, for starters when kids are plugged into technology, they do not learn as many social skills. Did you know that children are more likely to be behind a screen, than on a playground nowadays? Humans can blame technology, the government, the parents for all of this, but the real antagonist here is the marketing companies who target most of their sale profits to children. From the moment an infant opens up their eyes, they see a fuzzy, two legged red monster that appeared to be seemingly harmless at the time. As this child grows into a toddler, they have this monster on their clothes, their blankets, the packaging of

The effect of TV and internet on society is TV is a way of knowing that is hostile on our way of thought, our conversations we have are by the trivial nature, TV/internet only speaks in a trivial voice it is to entertain us or the answer to an instant questions which we will soon forget. As Postman states, “Americans no longer talk to each other, they entertain each other. They do not exchange ideas’ they exchange images. They do not argue with propositions; they argue with good looks, celebrities and commercials. For the message of television as metaphor is not only that all the world is a stage but that the stage is located in Las Vegas, Nevada”(Postman,

Television has changed in many aspects over the years. In 1939, the first time a U.S. President appeared on TV, television was used mainly for news and important things. In current day, TV is used as a leisure activity. Although TV has some good aspects, television simply isn't as informative as it once was and is geared more toward society's wants rather than society's needs.

Its 2015, the news is covering a monumental occasion. Rainbow flags flow in the breeze. People are cheering, crying, and shouting out words of happiness. Men stroll down the street kissing and holding hands. The news camera zooms in on a woman, her face is flush with red a wide smile spreads across her face as she talks about how happy she is to finally marry her long time girlfriend. I watch the news with a smile on my own face. I'm truly happy for them, because this decision hits close to home. I know a secret that the rest of my family doesn't. “ This would have never happened in my generation, this display makes me sick.” my father grumbles next to me. With a sigh I glance over at my little sister whose looking down with pain in her eyes.

In my story I will be writing about how t.v. Influences kids and our families and friends. The following story I will be writing about is Social media. I chose does it influence or affect kids. I believe TV has some ways of influencing kids.