TV or not TV: The dual nature of television

The effects of television today cannot be easily summed up as simply good or bad. The viewing of television is more than the subject matter viewed. The loss of time to do other things can be more the problem. Time to view television grows larger with each year of life in the age of the cathode ray tube and liquid crystal screen.

In the days before television, people spent more time in the company of others. Ideas were exchanged, minds were changed, and opinions were swayed by direct contact. It was much easier to see the sincerity and judge the veracity of someone in the same room. It was much easier to be sure of what you knew.

When contact with other people directly was not possible or wanted, the time could be taken to read. Whether it was a magazine, a book, or a newspaper, the effect of the written word was sometimes more powerful than direct contact. The writer could take time to choose exactly the right words, or turn a phrase that could be memorable. The ability to move with the words at a pace comfortable to each reader makes writing more powerful than something heard or seen live.

Beyond the time for conversing or reading, time not used to watch television was frequently used for physical activity. Sometimes it was as simple as walking for pleasure. Sometimes it was doing work around one’s own house. The tasks around the house needing to be done used to take longer, needing more effort, and most people had no one to help them. This provided exercise, occupied time otherwise not designated for anything, and provided a sense of worth, both from the effort expended, and from the sense of accomplishment.

Hobbies are something else that have suffered from all the watching of television. Years ago, most everyone had some activity they enjoyed that also produced something tangible. Stamp collectors had books of stamps, each with a story behind each and every stamp. Coin collectors could know the many facts surrounding each coin in the collection. Others who were less rigid in what they did would whittle things from wood, producing objects of beauty or things useful in other parts of their lives. Many skills are kept in the society this way, that would otherwise fall out of sight because of lack of need or changes in lifestyles. Basket weaving is one of those small, artistic hobbies that would be lost if not for the hobbyist.

This is not to say that television watching is totally without its merits. If one chooses wisely the programming viewed, it is possible to be entertained and enlightened.

The many programs on public television, for example, are geared to teach, enrich, and entertain us. Many things relating to the world around us are there. Science programs, dealing with things not seen on the regular broadcast channels, show in great detail, facts which, because of their newness are not found in books or scientific journals. Programs for the hobbyist abound, from the woodworking shows, to the gardening shows, to the ones geared at the person who simply wants to eat better or differently.

There are programs dealing with advances in medicine, religious changes, ethics, and life in other parts of the world. All of these can be used to enrich and educate the discriminating viewer.

[tags]television, tv, entertainment, media, education[/tags]