Essay on Ways in Which Television Corrupts American Society

Television has had large impacts on American society once it became widely available, which occurred during the 1950s. Most American households owned a television. The creation of news outlets on television led to the American public to be exposed much that they wouldn’t ever have been exposed to without. There were no restrictions on the device yet for what they could or couldn’t show. Television would go on to create the largest impacts on American society, impacts that even continue today. Commercials became commonplace for the public, Civil rights would gain tons of support, and television would be one of the leading causes that attributed to the United States loss of the Vietnam War.

     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 television is one of those inventions that changed American society forever when it was first introduced in 1927, although it was not anything like we think of modern televisions. Over the past three-quarters of a century there have been shocking advancements in the technology utilized to make televisions, so much that it is virtually impossible to not find one home in America today without at least one LCD, LED, 3D, or plasma television – okay, maybe your grandparents still have one of those 1950s televisions with the bunny ears – but you get the point. The first televisions that resemble modern day televisions were introduced in the early 1950s and introduced several televisions shows that are iconic today – notably “I Love Lucy”, “The Andy Griffith Show”, and “Leave it to Beaver” as well as variety shows such as “The Ed Sullivan Show” that made great music icons that are legendary today. Before this time, televisions inside American homes were few and far between due to its cost and impracticle use.

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

As children, they are in the stage of life when they are learning the most and absorbing everything they see, and it is natural for most of them to repeat what they see. Adolescent years are very crucial for learning how to behave and learning right from wrong, but talk shows are destroying children’s morals and their outlook on society. Therefore, there is no doubt that they are having a negative effect on our future, the children.

The invention of television has impacted American society positively, because it helps spread information faster and influences the way people think about important social issues. It is estimated that about 15 million Americans watch the Cable News Network, CNN, at least once a day and millions more tune in abroad (Stark). In the news culture, information has become presented to the public quicker throughout the years. This causes news to be digested faster as well. In fact, events, such as election results or political choices, have become frequently analyzed before they even take place. For example, the effects of Clinton’s bombing of Iraq, in the summer of 1996, were being explored before a weapon had even been fired (Stark). The spread

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.

The increasing amount of violence, foul language and sexuality available to children on TV is harmful to their development. What was once a time for children to watch TV with content suitable for their age is now directed for an older audience, Family Hour. Statistics show that this is the time most children are watching television with their family members. Despite knowing this, “Since 2000-2001, the amount of sexual content during the Family Hour has increased by 22.1%” (Parents Television Council 55). A poll done later in March of 2007 asked the general public if they thought there was too much sexual content on television. 79% of those that participated in the poll stated that there was too much.

* For teens, television is a major source of information about sex. A survey conducted in 1997 by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 61 per cent of young teens, ages 13-15, rated entertainment media as their top source of information on sexuality and sex health. This should concern parents because although two-thirds of TV shows contain sexual content, only one in ten includes any reference to safe sex or the consequences of unprotected sex.

Viewing violence encourages children to see other people as enemies rather as individuals with thoughts and feelings like themselves. Violent scenes less arouses children whom watch a lot of TV than those who only watch a little. They are less bothered by violence in general and less likely to see anything wrong with it. "For example, in several studies, children who watched a violent program instead of a non-violent one were less quick to intervene or to call for

Before Television, Americans followed simple laws, believed heavily in God, were honest, and never locked their doors because they felt safe and were happy to help someone in need. TV gradually turned us into

People very often debate whether technology is good or bad. Many people believe that technology can only cause harm to their lives and society, while many others strongly defend the technologies which have made their lives much more leisurely and enriching than it could have been several hundred years ago. In my opinion, both of these views are correct to an extent, but I also believe that what should be examined is not whether technology in its self is good or bad, but rather how we as humans use it.For decades now, television has been accused of contributing to the dissolution of the American family and the destruction of the minds of those who watch it. However, although the TV has been involved in this, the problem roots not with

Over the last forty to fifty years, television has been a major topic of discussion. Specifically, many debate societal benefits to television watching. One widely accepted opinion is that watching TV makes people dumber. People have referred to it with terms like the “idiot box” and do not feel that watching TV has any benefit at all. They feel that it is a waste of time and people need to spend their hours more wisely. Others are of the opinion that TV is actually has societal benefits. From this perspective, they claim that the development of the structure of the programs now requires one to intellectually participate in watching television. Essentially, the argument is whether TV is a beneficial societal force or is it simply a

Children view violence in different ways when they watch it on television, whether it is cartoons or a type of drama and action programming. After children have watched these television shows, they may have interpreted the meaning into a negative behavior. It could influence them by becoming aggressive, afraid of the world that surrounds them, or it may lead to confusion. When it is said that children may become confused because their parents teach that violence is wrong. When they view someone in a “superhero” position participating in violence, they may see that as it is all right for the simple fact the good person does the action. According to the American Academy of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry, “the impact of TV violence may be immediately evident in the child's behavior or may surface years later (AACAP, 2011).”

Can T.V. shows be the reflection of our society or influence the behavior of the members of our community? Since 1936 when television broadcasting begin, it priority was to inform and to entertain our society; subsequently, a massive amount of rules and regulations were created to control the material presented in TV, which principal goal was to safeguard the moral and ethical standards of it time. Nevertheless, from its beginning to the present home entertainment television standards contents have change; likewise, the moral an ethics values of our society have change and continuing changing from generation to generation. TV shows from the 50’s, 80’s, and the present exposed many changes in the way human role are exposed, the language