Television makes people stupid

Collin

soulsinging wrote:

no. just my musings. it's an interesting coincidence. but there's more to it. americans get all news in 15 second tv snippets. we watch more celebrity gossip shows than news programs. we've lost interest in our own lives so much we instead obsessively watch others' on tv (reality tv). it seems to carry a lot of baggage and reveal a lot of mass cultural idiocy.

my proof is mainly in how i feel. after an hour tv i feel more exhausted and slow and stupid than i do after anything else ive ever done for an hour. it offers the same allure drugs do: an easy, mindless escape from reality. a quick fix to turn off your brain and numb yourself. i see tv as hardly different from heroin.

Well, there is a huge difference between American tv and what we're seeing here...

But I'm going to stick with my food analogy.

soulsinging

Collin wrote:

Well, there is a huge difference between American tv and what we're seeing here...

But I'm going to stick with my food analogy.

you guys just aren't as advanced at producing the fast food of television as we are

FinsburyParkCarrots

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

When I was in Manchester for a few months, I got addicted to the BBC, I don't know how to explain it...I liked the into beeps and music (at the time...few years ago) Maybe it was all the relentless Guinness. Sorry for that sounding cliche...or whatever..

I akin the BBC to the CBC in Canada, But I dare say the BBC did cover the pop star stuff too strongly.

Yep, it does need to kick itself up the arse and stop trying to compete with other networks. I don't want to see newsreaders dancing or trying to be karaoke stars.

blackredyellow

I kind of think it's a cop out to blame tv...

While our attention spans have decreased to nothing and our society has this fascination with celebrity, to me it's almost a chicken and egg thing. I mean, are we the way we are because of TV, or is TV like it is because of us?

The internet isn't any better, you look at all of the news site or even sites that yahoo that provide news from all sorts of sites and the most read or most e-mailed stories are always celebrity stories, and now places like CNN are putting bullet points at the top of the stories for those who are too lazy to actually read the stories.

As far as tv shows, it's just mindless entertainment that appeals to the lowest common denominator to get the most viewers... It's hard to get people to set aside an hour of their time every week at the same time for a deep, though provoking show, and as a viewer it's hard to get involved in a deep show with 5 minute long commercial breaks every time the action or drama gets good.

People's lives are hectic and busy enough... we seem to not want to do any work or heavy lifting when it comes down to our entertainment... look at the highest grossing movies or the most popular music.

JamMastaE

Collin wrote:

Is that supposed to be proof or something? Not very convincing.

It's like saying food makes people fat. Sure, if you eat large portions, eat unhealthy and never exercise.

http://world.std.com/~jlr/comment/tv_impact.htm

http://neovox.cortland.edu/oldsite/wire/wire_101/wire_101.html

http://www.fdrs.org/brainwashing_and_mind_control.html

Jeanie

blackredyellow wrote:

I kind of think it's a cop out to blame tv...

While our attention spans have decreased to nothing and our society has this fascination with celebrity, to me it's almost a chicken and egg thing. I mean, are we the way we are because of TV, or is TV like it is because of us?

The internet isn't any better, you look at all of the news site or even sites that yahoo that provide news from all sorts of sites and the most read or most e-mailed stories are always celebrity stories, and now places like CNN are putting bullet points at the top of the stories for those who are too lazy to actually read the stories.

As far as tv shows, it's just mindless entertainment that appeals to the lowest common denominator to get the most viewers... It's hard to get people to set aside an hour of their time every week at the same time for a deep, though provoking show, and as a viewer it's hard to get involved in a deep show with 5 minute long commercial breaks every time the action or drama gets good.

People's lives are hectic and busy enough... we seem to not want to do any work or heavy lifting when it comes down to our entertainment... look at the highest grossing movies or the most popular music.

That's what's great about the ABC. The shows are interesting, you do learn things, you are required to think and there's no commercials.

catefrances

Jeanie wrote:

That's what's great about the ABC. The shows are interesting, you do learn things, you are required to think and there's no commercials.

plus it's government funded so they don't have to answer to anybody.

ALL HAIL LAWYERS WHO BECOME SATIRISTS. CNNN.

Jeanie

catefrances wrote:

plus it's government funded so they don't have to answer to anybody.

ALL HAIL LAWYERS WHO BECOME SATIRISTS. CNNN.

hmmm.....well that's debatable catiefractious.

There's been a lot of talk about just how much the gubbament is pulling Aunties stings of late. Been quite a bit about it in The Age, not that they're fairing much better, and I've been reading about it in that book Silencing Dissent too. But it's still a vast improvement on the commercial stations.

catefrances

Jeanie wrote:

hmmm.....well that's debatable catiefractious.

There's been a lot of talk about just how much the gubbament is pulling Aunties stings of late. Been quite a bit about it in The Age, not that they're fairing much better, and I've been reading about it in that book Silencing Dissent too. But it's still a vast improvement on the commercial stations.

course it's debatable. everything i say is debatable.

i was more thinking the wowser factor. you've seen how many times the current non affairs shows have a go at the chaser boys for example. and lets not forget the lovely chas being taken to court cause some people have no sense of humour. what, is there no real news in the world?

Jeanie

catefrances wrote:

course it's debatable. everything i say is debatable.

i was more thinking the wowser factor. you've seen how many times the current non affairs shows have a go at the chaser boys for example. and lets not forget the lovely chas being taken to court cause some people have no sense of humour. what, is there no real news in the world?

yes, thank goodness for chaser!

g under p

Juberoo wrote:

I rarely watch tv anymore. Maybe 1-3 hours total a week....and that would be mostly news or Oprah. It just doesn't interest me. I'd rather spend my "mindless moments" right here on the computer LOL

I'v given up TV exclusively for the first thrid of this year and I never watch it except with my daughter watching the Science Network.

However, at work my boss watches Fox News and I cannot believe the stuff that's said/reported on there. He's an extremly wealthly man and not to be questioned but I had to ask him one day why he watches this particular news station and he said, "it's sensationalism at it's best and nothing on there that's believable". I said to myself for a 90 year old he's pretty with it.

Peace

Ms. Haiku

RolandTD20Kdrummer wrote:

Thoughts?

How many hours a day to you succumb to it?

I think if you could see yourself watching TV, you would probably be disturbed at what you discover.

Opinions? First hand experiences? Personal triumphs?

It's a curse during unemployment. When I lived in Green Bay Wisconsin for 5 months in 1991 I knew every video on MTV and VH1, and I was underemployed. When I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, within no time I had read 12 books of literature as I didn't have access to a TV. It was a clear sign that I should not have TV. I have one now which I use for DVDs when I'm knitting/needlepointing, but not for TV programming. I thought I could escape the commercials, but there are quite a few commercials on radio. It's mind boggling.

Solat13

As with anything in life, it's what you watch not how much you watch.

I watch a ton of tv, but I'm always watching National Geographic, Science Channel, History Channel, etc. or sporting events. I barely watch network tv.

I've always watched a ton of tv and have done pretty well in life. I just think the original poster is making too broad a statement saying that watching television automatically makes people stupid.

Uncle Leo

I figured when I saw this that we'd get the standard "I watch History and Discovery Channels only." If I had a nickel for every time someone said that...but look at what crap is pulling in the big numbers.

I admit it. I watch TV. I don't happen to believe that you have to constantly be doing things to improve yourself. I go to work, I work out (with the I-pod), I read quite a bit. I don't mind vegging out a bit. I think there is value to it.

TV, like sweets and alcohol is OK if in moderation. I suppose I watch a bit too much. The Twins, in the summer, are usually on if I am reading or doing things around the house. I watch my teams (U of Wisconsin and the Twins) when I can and my secondary teams (Vikes, Wild, Wolves) on occasion.

I still catch the SImpson's every Sunday and While it's not as good as it was a decade ago, it is by no means "dumb." I was a huge Seinfeld fan and catch their reruns now and again. I watch the Daily Show, though not religiously.

I probably average an hour of non-sports a day. Throw in sports, typically on the weekend and it goes up. I still manage to read, workout, and do plenty of enjoyable "real world" recreation--perhaps due to the fact that "I ain't working" (see I only work 40 hours a week).

Too much? Probably a bit, yeah.

Uncle Leo

Solat13 wrote:

As with anything in life, it's what you watch not how much you watch.

I watch a ton of tv, but I'm always watching National Geographic, Science Channel, History Channel, etc. or sporting events. I barely watch network tv.

I've always watched a ton of tv and have done pretty well in life. I just think the original poster is making too broad a statement saying that watching television automatically makes people stupid.

How much is important too. Very few people watch "a ton of TV" and have almost all of it be valuable. A ton of crap TV (and a lot of people do that) is a big problem, yes. But a little crap TV is OK (even if reality is your thing...it's not mine).

Jeanwah

Since I've moved to the Boonies, the tv is rarely on except for kids movies on VHS (yes, VHS) or DVD. There's not only no time to watch tv, but it's completely unnecessary. I'm actually really happy that I don't have cable; that's a huge bill for crap t.v. that we wouldn't be watching anyway. I do miss a few shows, but not many.

I'm plenty happy with PBS. Great programming for free.

Jeanie

Uncle Leo wrote:

I figured when I saw this that we'd get the standard "I watch History and Discovery Channels only." If I had a nickel for every time someone said that...but look at what crap is pulling in the big numbers.

I admit it. I watch TV. I don't happen to believe that you have to constantly be doing things to improve yourself. I go to work, I work out (with the I-pod), I read quite a bit. I don't mind vegging out a bit. I think there is value to it.

TV, like sweets and alcohol is OK if in moderation. I suppose I watch a bit too much. The Twins, in the summer, are usually on if I am reading or doing things around the house. I watch my teams (U of Wisconsin and the Twins) when I can and my secondary teams (Vikes, Wild, Wolves) on occasion.

I still catch the SImpson's every Sunday and While it's not as good as it was a decade ago, it is by no means "dumb." I was a huge Seinfeld fan and catch their reruns now and again. I watch the Daily Show, though not religiously.

I probably average an hour of non-sports a day. Throw in sports, typically on the weekend and it goes up. I still manage to read, workout, and do plenty of enjoyable "real world" recreation--perhaps due to the fact that "I ain't working" (see I only work 40 hours a week).

Too much? Probably a bit, yeah.

Geez! :rolleyes: I confessed I watched Days of Our Lives, Bold & Beautiful, Desperate Housewives, Gray's Anatomy and CSI as well as all the other stuff!

Uncle Leo

Jeanie wrote:

Geez! :rolleyes: I confessed I watched Days of Our Lives, Bold & Beautiful, Desperate Housewives, Gray's Anatomy and CSI as well as all the other stuff!

Allright, I'll admit to a true guilty pleasure...Without a Trace. My wife likes it and I got into it.

Solat13

Uncle Leo wrote:

How much is important too. Very few people watch "a ton of TV" and have almost all of it be valuable. A ton of crap TV (and a lot of people do that) is a big problem, yes. But a little crap TV is OK (even if reality is your thing...it's not mine).

Honestly, I watch the Red Sox, NFL football, 3 network shows a week - none of which are reality shows.

I love the History Channel though - I watch Digging for the Truth, Deep Sea Detectives, History's Lost and Found, Decoding the Past, Cities of the Underworld. I also watch Survivorman and Deadliest Catch on Discovery. I loved the Planet Earth series on there and Shark Week. And I watch Is It Real? and Naked Science on National Geographic.

RolandTD20Kdrummer

Solat13 wrote:

As with anything in life, it's what you watch not how much you watch.

I watch a ton of tv, but I'm always watching National Geographic, Science Channel, History Channel, etc. or sporting events. I barely watch network tv.

I've always watched a ton of tv and have done pretty well in life. I just think the original poster is making too broad a statement saying that watching television automatically makes people stupid.

Agree. The commercial free version of all that would be worthwhile.