The Big Cheese: TELEVISION

     In J1, we FINALLY learned about the huge competitor in the world of mass media, the big cheese of the 20th century that ultimately demassified magazines, radios, and (to a certain extent) the movie theater. It's the necessity that every American home is expected to have, whether it be impoverished working class or upper financially wealthy, that is supposedly left on for 7 hours at a time daily. We explored how this affected the American family, and how it made the entire nation somewhat lazier than they were before. Everything was on demand. Why go to the theater and pay for a ticket to see The Lone Ranger when you can sit at home in your pajamas for free and watch the newest episode that goes by the same name and follows the same story line with the same characters? What if you apply the same thesis to today's modern television? Why go see the next sad Hollywood attempt at a superhero remake when you can watch a series of your favorite episodes consecutively that, when compiled, takes more time to watch than a movie? This is all in the comfort of your home, with no additional costs. Food, entertainment, and gas do not require any additional payments.

    To contradict those negative views, we then talked about the positive offerings the television gave to news organizations and political elections. Although these things are true, and the main benefits are rather relevant and not completely based on exploitation of surrounding "fluff," I still must argue that the television is rather harmful to the human mind and body, both mentally and physically (even though I am an avid watcher of the television myself).

     To help the reader better understand this, I will use myself as an example. When I was in the third grade, I REALLY loved watching television. It was a serious problem. I would watch morning cartoons before school, afternoon specials while eating snacks or doing homework, evening newbies while eating dinner or coloring, and night time reruns while brushing my teeth, coloring (I loved coloring, too), or even reading. I came up with a rough estimate of how much television I actually watched in a day as an eight-year-old, and it totaled to about 8 hours (2 in the morning and six after school), a number above the adult average of 7. On the weekends, it was always more, of course. So, considering it was a full five day school week with a two day weekend break (on which I would watch television for about ten hours), I watched a total of 76 hours of television a week as a third grader.

        My mother realized this, but brushed it off due to my good grades. I was getting concerned for myself, though. I would often feel fatigued, and my legs were always aching from curling up on the couch in front of our flat screen. I didn't do any sports, and never hung out with friends because I was always afraid it would interfere with the nights' and mornings' new episodes that premiered on television. So, that year for Lent (a Catholic holiday where one gives up a loved item or hobby for forty days in honor of their God's death), I gave up television. I went from 76 to 0 in a day, and it...was...HARD. The first morning of my vow for the Lenten holiday was a struggle. My hands kept reaching for the remote, so I occupied both by eating a bowl of cereal one piece at a time with one hand and reading a book with the other. In the afternoons after school, I put one hand on the kitchen table and another on the book. My sisters would sometimes turn the TV in the next room. I remember walking in there to say hello just so I could glance at the beautiful, technicolor screen. Looking back on it now, you could say the symptoms I was experiencing were similar to those seen in recovering alcoholics and anorexia-afflicted persons. It was an agonizing experience during the first 20 days.

     However, during the last 20 days, I noticed a huge change in my body and mind. I was reading a lot more, and spending time wisely with friends. My grades were getting even better than they were before because of my increased focus, and my unhealthy appetite ceased, as I was not always reaching for buttered popcorn while watching my favorite programs. Better yet, I was spending more time with my family, and becoming aware of reality in a way that quite intrigued me. To top it all off, I found that at the end of the forty days, on Easter, I found myself watching a lot less television than before. I cut my morning, afternoon, and evening viewing times so I could read, or play with school friends. I even joined a soccer team. My total vie
wing time was reduced by 59 hours a week. Then, I was only watching an hour of television after school, and five with family and friends on the weekend days, totaling to the dramatic reduction amount of about 17 hours a week.

     The point is, television can be harmful, especially when it makes us "lazier" in a sense. It can decrease our focus, ultimately lowering our work credentials and educational grades while increasing the pain in our lower back and legs, causing indigestion problems. To add on, the constant need for junk food while watching television programming and the increased amount of sedentary activity may lead to unhealthy weight gain. The entire idea of television is mesmerizing, but, when used excessively, damaging.

     This does not mean that I do not completely despise the television, however. I fully enjoy the programs, and feel that the journalism and political benefits are well-worth the cost of having one. In fact, I think investment in a television set is a fantastic idea for those who can afford it. I just urge readers to try going without television for a week, at the least, and see how it affects their daily lives. The main beneficiary may not only be the reader, but the reader's family, friends, health, and business, as well.