It feels like no one is even paying attention anymore.
People these days lack passion and zest; they don’t seem to stand for anything except what those around them tell them to stand for.
Most Americans rely on the television to tell them who is running for president, what new disease may kill us all, different ways your identity can be stolen and why eating certain foods is good or bad for you.
Does anyone ever stop to ask how people existed before television and technology?
Do they ask themselves whether what they hear on TV is true?
Most people do not. In fact questioning the media and the government often gets one the label of “conspiracy theorist” these days.
But is what they’re asking really that absurd?
Many Americans get their feathers in a ruffle when people talk about Sept. 11 being an inside job, or that there really is no law that says we must pay an income tax, but have they done any research otherwise, or are they just parroting what they’ve heard on TV?
According to London’s Institute of Psychiatry, 87 percent of Americans admit that TV is their main source of information.
That leaves only 13 percent of America asking questions and reading books, magazines or newspapers.
Only 13 percent wondering why things are the way they are, and trying to save the other 87 percent.
Regardless of what they find, they at least have the brains enough to ask questions and seek something other than what we’re being fed through the boob tube.
There is often equal evidence on either side of an argument, and I encourage people to take a side.
Quit sitting on the fence, quit eating Fox News’, MSNBC’s, and CNN’s crap.
Get out and ask questions, don’t just sit back and accept what the TV says.
You can have an opinion too, that right is not just for the people arguing inside the metal box at home.
I found some statistics that readers may find interesting and disturbing about our friend the TV.
According to research by the A.C. Nielsen Co., a marketing research firm, 99 percent of American families own at least one TV.
The average amount of time an American spends watching TV a day is nearly seven hours and the hours of TV watched annually by Americans is 250 billion.
At a minimum wage rate, that’s $1.25 trillion of TV watched annually.
But I’m not saying work instead of watch TV. I say go outside and enjoy the sunshine, climb a tree and have fun!
Children spend 600 more hours per year watching TV than attending school, according to A.C. Nielsen Co.
If this doesn’t outrage people then there is something seriously wrong with our society.!
What happened to playing outside, riding bikes with friends, jumping on the trampoline or having adventures with the neighborhood kids?
People claim that kidnappers and weirdos are out there, but what do you think created these people?
Television! If not that, what creates the disproportionate fear of such people? Television!
TV teaches us to fear everything from dirty bathtubs to cellulite to terrorism — the television teaches us to stay inside and fear the world around us.
The truth is that the world around us wouldn’t be so scary if we’d get rid of the television.
So I say we make a choice. Our generation could change the world if we’d just make a choice right now between fear and love.
What’s it going to be?
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(1)”Many Americans get their feathers in a ruffle when people talk about Sept. 11 being an inside job, or that there really is no law that says we must pay an income tax, but have they done any research otherwise, or are they just parroting what they’ve heard on TV?”
I know a lot of people who, far from getting their feathers ruffled, would be absolutely delighted if they didn’t have to pay income tax. But, I feel it necessary to point out that the 16th amendment to the United States Constitution does in fact give congress the lawful ability to levy an income tax. It was ratified in 1913, and here is the text:
“The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”
As for 9/11, it doesn’t take much “research” to figure out 9/11 wasn’t an inside job–just a modicum of common sense. Perhaps if you had been watching more TV, you might have seen those planes that were hijacked by terrorists fly into the twin towers. And, if you had been watching more TV, you might have seen Osama taking credit for the attacks not long after.
I’m not going to bother offering any spirited defense of television. Suffice it to say, we all know television is highly entertaining and wonderful, and there are many shows that I simply adore.
(2)”People these days lack passion and zest; they don’t seem to stand for anything except what those around them tell them to stand for.”
This obviously doesn’t apply to you, right?
(3)”Does anyone ever stop to ask how people existed before television and technology?”
Yes. Historians, for example. Although, technically, technology has existed practically since the dawn of mankind. You might even say that the sticks chimps use to fish for termites is a form of technology.
(4)”Do they ask themselves whether what they hear on TV is true?”
Are you trying to tell me that KITT from Knight Rider isn’t real?
(5)”Only 13 percent wondering why things are the way they are, and trying to save the other 87 percent.”
Thanks, but I don’t need any non-TV-watchin conspiracy nuts trying to “save” me.
(6)”Get out and ask questions, don’t just sit back and accept what the TV says.”
I tried to turn off my TV just now, and get out of my house so I can approach strangers on the street and ask them if 9/11 was an inside job and if I really have to pay income tax, but the TV fought back: it threw me back down onto my couch and told me to watch more “Entourage”. Your article has really inspired me to try and break away from TV’s firm grip on my psyche, but it’s going to be really hard. I may need an “Intervention”.
(7)”But I’m not saying work instead of watch TV. I say go outside and enjoy the sunshine, climb a tree and have fun!”
It’s rather cloudy outside right now where I am. And it was raining pretty hard earlier. And it’s cold too. But, let’s just pretend the weather was decent–that still doesn’t mean I would want to climb a tree. Why in God’s name would I want to climb a tree? I’m neither a child, nor am I a hippy, nor am I some sort of savage, nor am I mentally deranged.
(8)”People claim that kidnappers and weirdos are out there, but what do you think created these people?”
“Television!”
I’m sorry to have to say this, but kidnappers and weirdos walked the earth in the days before television. And, if The beloved Flintstones are to be believed, there were even weirdos around in the time of the dinosaurs.
(9)”So I say we make a choice. Our generation could change the world if we’d just make a choice right now between fear and love.”
“What’s it going to be?”
I’ll take Fear for 500, Alex.
wow and you are a perfect example of the television loving people spoken about in this article, just wow, i can’t believe you would even say this?
I am also an example of a TV loving person, and I think you should read the book, “Everything Bad is Good for You” by Steven Johnson.
The thesis of the book is that TV, Video Games, etc make people smarter. If you have ever seen the Sopranos or LOST, I could talk to you about how the complexity of those plots help people learn how to think. Otherwise, you should just go read the book.
The problem is not TV. TV is awesome. The problem is that a lot of people only watch TV. They do not read books or newspapers. Thus, they are not well rounded. However, the same can be said for people who only read and do not watch TV.
The bottom line is that this whole “TV makes people dumb thing” is an antiquated belief. People used to actually believe that TV sucked the intelligence out of people. This is just the modern version of that. You are not better than anyone because you do not watch TV.
Oh, and don’t worry, Justin. KITT is real, and it is SPECTACULAR.
tell me then why i’ve met more people in this world who know what “Laguna Beach” is but haven’t read an entire book in their entire lives, it doesn’t matter how complex these story lines are, the fact is TV has an affect on you no matter if you feel it or not! Not only that but it increases obesity and other serious health problems associated with not getting enough physical activity, people need to get outside, ride bikes, go for hikes, and do things like enjoy nature and the world around them! We are constantly confusing TV for reality, real life is the world around us, not what we experience vicariously through the television! You need to expand your minds and you need to read up on this more than just the book by Steven Johnson, which if you did any research would see doesn’t have to much value amongst a lot of scholars and people who do actual studies on this sort of thing. People constantly take the stance that TV is good or its bad but oh well, not OH WELL, seriously its horrible for you and your psyche! TV has taught you to love it and defend it at any chance, its got you hypnotized and you don’t even realize it! You think these are your thoughts and they aren’t! You’re programmed and you don’t even care! And that, is truly the saddest thing of all!
Whoa! Cool it with the exclamation points. We’re all friends here.
I agree that TV does have some negatives, as does any other medium. However, you are conflating these negatives into an all out war against nothing but a visual medium.
As with everything, TV should be used in moderation. I could make a similar case to this one against nearly any invention (cars, the internet, etc.), let’s try not to throw the baby out with the bath water (whatever that means).
I guess my real point is that people always ask me if I would rather be feared or loved? Um… easy. Both. I want people to be scared of how much they love me.
point well made, i apologize for the brashness in which i explain my points, i’m a rather intense person.
I think that in some ways TV can be beneficial, and even fun, but i just want people to enjoy the world around them more, instead of this world where no one cares about climbing a tree (which is NOT just for children and hippies, and i’m native american i take offense to the term savage) or sitting by a pond and loving the world around them.
Its much more important than anything you can see on TV
if we didn’t have all this STUFF to worry about
we could just BE
and enjoy nature, life, earth
what is real
REALLY REAL
you dig?
Word.
I don’t “dig”. It’s not 1968 and I’m not on acid, so no, I definitely do not “dig”.
There’s nothing more important than TV.
If the TV’s on I don’t worry bout STUFF.
I can just SEE what’s on the TV.
I can just BE entertained
and enjoy Golden Girls, Alf, E.T.
what is fantasy
FANTASTIC FANTASY
You know what I’m sizzlin?
Justin, please kindly tell/text us what you were doing when you learned of the fantastic events taking place on September 11, 2001?
I was making coffee, in my apartment, in Poughkeepsie, New York.
well justin
you seem to have a problem w/ reality
and being kind to others
the word Love must mean nothing to you
and that makes me very sad
I guess you were pretty close to the action then. As I recall it, I was getting into my pickup here in Stillwater when I first heard the news on the radio that morning. Do you happen to recall how many buildings fell in NYC that day?
This is a great article and *very* well written. In our society people are such “sheep” to the extent that they have to be told what their opinions are, what is beautiful, how they should act, what they do, ect. People will believe anything the media gives them without questioning it and that is scary! People today have a narrow point of view without any perspective or insight into anything. Becuz of TV, video games and fast food, America has the highest obesity rate and the lowest education scores. Also, there are more STD’s now than ever…why? Becuz sex is used to sell everything on TV and in Magazines without reguard to any moral standards or self-respect. People have been conditioned to not think for themselves and to be afraid to speak up and go against the grain. We need to get back the qualities of humanity: compassion, communication, honesty, respect for each other’s feelings, respect for ourselves…back to being human.
And the influence of the media is also the reason people are afraid to feel and hence people change romantic relationships like underwear(coincides with the STD rate)…they’re so emotionally atrophyed they can’t sustain any genuine human connection.
That settles it, I’m going to save the world~~~
haha WOO HOO Go Sean! :D