Television has transformed popular culture more than any other medium in today’s society. This common-place piece of furniture streams images of popular culture, music, news, and everything in between into living rooms across the world. The question is whether or not that’s a beneficial thing.
In some instances television informs the masses on topics relevant to their lives, such as local and national news, and other times it robs them of their individuality, creativity, and need for fulfillment outside of their homes. As Rodman states at one point, “In extreme cases, compulsive television viewers rarely go out for entertainment. Aside from work and necessary errands, the stay home and watch TV (Rodman, 313)”. Since the invention of television the American public has been glued to the “Boob tube, idiot box, and plug-in drug” (Rodman, 309).
Although television is entertaining it’s consumed the lives of many Americans to the point of obsession. Many teenagers identify themselves, although not in words so much as imitation, with shows on MTV. Shows such as
TV networks are just trying to make living and that is understandable. And viewers enjoy watching shows they think are funny or entertaining, and that’s understandable too. Television should be just that though, entertaining. Many watch it as an escape from their lives or a distraction and that’s where it becomes a problem. I find increasingly though some television networks are trying to get their viewers hooked on their shows, and again their trying to make as much money as they can, but television has become an obsession in this country and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
3 comments:
It's also notable that a lot of kids who even have hobbies watch quite a bit of TV let alone surf the net (of which I'm consistently guilty of). I really don't feel that anyone actually emulates themselves from television; it's television that emulates itself from us. As we've seen in class regarding the whole "cool hunt" fiasco (haha, they still use "cool"), the reps are out there to find out what we like and simply rehash it into the back of our brains.
As a friend of mine once said, "the biggest trend is individualism". While television has strong impressionistic properties, only a fraction of that impression is left on a viewer who is familiar with the phenomenon, most of it already being an innate character of the viewer. Otherwise reverend Joel Osteen and his televangelist empire would have probably influenced 3/4 of the country, by now.
You are correct in saying that television has transformed popular culture although you might be able to say that television is an all powerful force in our society. Television has hit permeated and entrenched itself in out society to the point that if one has not seen the 'The Office" They will be in a vast minority. Television is a large part of the American Culture.
I agree with you when you mention that television should strictly be for entertainment purposes if you choose to watch shows like Laguna Beach & The Hills.. But there are also those shows that are on television for entertainment purposes, but also for a sense to educate us.. For example the food network, discovery & history channels.. But your right, a certain age group at the most influential age is watching the wrong shows & getting the wrong ideas in their heads. But I think a majority of where kids get information is the internet, so whether or not TV goes away or stays, theres always the major problem of access to the internet.. Good blog! I enjoyed it!
Post a Comment