Is TV dumbing down American society?

2

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  • Jeanwah
    Jeanwah Posts: 6,363
    Don't get me started...it's the reason I watch only a few shows. And the commercials... has anyone seen the latest Burger King commercial with that jingle that is so simple a 5 year old could have written it? ("It's breakfast...") and a bunch of people are marching down the street? Talk about dumbing down an entire audience.
  • Electric_Delta
    Electric_Delta Posts: 977
    Jeanwah wrote:
    Don't get me started...it's the reason I watch only a few shows. And the commercials... has anyone seen the latest Burger King commercial with that jingle that is so simple a 5 year old could have written it? ("It's breakfast...") and a bunch of people are marching down the street? Talk about dumbing down an entire audience.

    Nothing better than pushing poison on the masses with a slew of moronic commercials.
    Bristow, VA (5/13/10)
  • Jeanwah
    Jeanwah Posts: 6,363
    Electric_Delta wrote:
    Jeanwah wrote:
    Don't get me started...it's the reason I watch only a few shows. And the commercials... has anyone seen the latest Burger King commercial with that jingle that is so simple a 5 year old could have written it? ("It's breakfast...") and a bunch of people are marching down the street? Talk about dumbing down an entire audience.

    Nothing better than pushing poison on the masses with a slew of moronic commercials.

    That's what I mean. Not only are the programs moronic with the concentration on reality programming, but the commercials are even worse. The public may not be idiots, but advertisers certainly treat us as though we are.
  • pandora
    pandora Posts: 21,855
    Perhaps dumbing down but TV is not to be taken so seriously, it's entertainment.

    An escape from the worries of real life and some shows, depending upon our own individual lives, we can relate to, such as parenting or work related experience.

    Also some shows have lessons learned in them or touch our hearts
    by watching others overcome challenges. A good cry can be just what is needed.

    I person can choose to watch only the informative shows like my son does and learn a lot about a lot of things.

    Yes, some commercials are pretty dumb, thank goodness for the DVR now, we watch very few, but then those during the live sporting events are pretty entertaining, a good laugh, football season brings out the best.
  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    I would have to make the point that, while it is unfortunate that our youth tend to subscribe to the notion that celebs are what they should aspire to be, at least most of us know them for what they really are: human zoo animals. I mean, really, sure they live in big houses, I'd argue they are giant prisons. They are chased, poked, prodded, pictures snapped of them constantly, rumours started about them, close-up snapshots of less-than-flattering body parts and put up for display in the supermarket......I could go on.

    No thanks. You couldn't PAY me to be famous.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • polaris_x
    polaris_x Posts: 13,559
    corporations are dumbing down american society and well we know who owns the media ... so, the answer is yes ... kind of ...
  • know1
    know1 Posts: 6,801
    There's only 1 TV in our home....and I only watch sports on it. Most TV shows seem to be utter crap.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,435
    I don't know about America in general, but I learn quite a bit from shows on Discovery, Nat Geo, TLC, ect. I pretty much avoid the main networks unless football or Jeopardy is on.

    Overall, it is good to unplug the TV every once in a while for an extended amount of time. About every two years I will cancel my service for about 6 months (this period of time usually coincides with the baseball season) and I try to focus more on reading or just getting outside.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
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  • Gonzo1977
    Gonzo1977 Posts: 1,696
    edited October 2010
    If you can believe it...Actually, less and less people are watching TV these days...that's a fact.

    Internet, iphones, ipads, video games, ect...

    The disturbing thing is that there is less and less pysical interation between humans today.

    Facebook, Twitter, Text Messaging, Online Retail...human interaction is on the decline and that is what is destroying culture on all levels.

    Nothing more defiines the human race than our abiltiy to communicate.

    Physical Communication.

    When is the last time you learnt something that didn't come from the Internet?

    We used to bounce ideas off eachother, share books, stories, music.
    We used to do this face to face.

    We never needed the Internet to converse, or interact...So why do we depend on it so much now?

    180 characters or less in front of the computer screen, behind a wall, in a room, and inside a house.

    1994 is viewed as the dawning of the Internet Age as well as The Technological Revolution.

    What's interesting and more than a little bit alarming is that the specific Vitamin D levels that our bodies used to absorb from the sun have been on a dangerous, rapid, and steady decline since 1994??

    It need not be a mystery as to how we've now become Insufficient/deficiant in levels of an important vitamin that used to be easily attained by just going outside and getting a little bit of fresh air?

    I guess it's no shocker that obesity has also rapidly increased in this perriod of time as well.

    Did you know that Vitamin D actually helps the brain?

    or...that obesity actually kills brain cells?

    Something to think about.
    Post edited by Gonzo1977 on
  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    which is why I don't own a cell phone/blackberry or any of that shit. My pc is enough. And I quit facebook recently. I use my pc for music only now.
    Gonzo1977 wrote:
    If you can believe it...Actually, less and less people are watching TV these days...that's a fact.

    Internet, iphones, ipads, video games, ect...

    The disturbing thing is that there is less and less pysical interation between humans today.

    Facebook, Twitter, Text Messaging, Online Retail...human interaction is on the decline and that is what is destroying culture on all levels.

    We're detached from the very thing that once allowed us evolve.

    Physical Communication.

    When is the last time you learnt something that didn't come from the Internet?

    We used to bounce ideas off eachother, share books, stories, music.

    We never needed the Internet to converse, and actually physically communicate...Why do we depend on it so much now?

    180 characters or less behind a wall, and inside a house.

    1994 is viewed as the dawning of Internet Age as well as The Technological Revolution.

    What's interesting and more than a little bit alarming is that the specific Vitamin D levels that our bodies used to absorb from the sun have been on a dangerous rapid and steady decline since 1994??

    It need not be a mystery as to how we've now become Insufficient/deficiant in levels of an important vitamin that used to be easily attained by just going outside and getting a little bit of fresh air?

    I guess it's no shocker that obesity has also rapidly increased in this perriod of time as well.

    Did you know that Vitamin D actually helps the brain?

    or...that obesity actually kills brain cells?

    Something to think about.
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • Gonzo1977
    Gonzo1977 Posts: 1,696
    I don't think that we are becoming a stupid culture so much as we are becoming a detached and isolated culture.

    Detachment and Isolation can only lead to Ignorance.

    These days we're so locked in our individual shells and surrounded by all this "ME" that It's hard to obtain any kind of social awareness or sense of community when you're constantly locking yourself away from your community and not interacting with it out in the open air.

    It's amazing how little time we spend outside these days. If you don't believe me...count how many times you were actually "outdoors" today...it's pretty alarming.

    There are so many things keeping us indoors...toys, video games, TV, Internet...Even our jobs.

    We're not meant to be an indoor creature...Hense the Vitamin D levels that are on constant decline and the obesity rates which have been increasing steadily in the Internet age.

    Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps many parts of the body including the brain.
    Locking ourselves indoors...actually effects the brain...It's crazy...but it's very very true.

    And Obesity effects the brain too!!! It's now known to have drastic effects on our brain cells as well as the brains neurons and placisity. Obesity effects the way we think...or don't think.

    I guess we need to disconnect from these things a little bit

    And "Step outside on your Porch"

    Words to live by.
  • Cosmo
    Cosmo Posts: 12,225
    whygohome wrote:
    Your thoughts?
    ...
    I believe that television has certainly had an effect on the dumbing down of politics in America. People that had little or no knowledge of political affairs a decade ago, All of a sudden believe they are politically adept because they watch 'News' on the Cable. They cannot differentiate between political commentary and political fact... journalism and entertainment.
    Ask the typical FOX or MSNBC watcher how much C-SPAN do they take in... they will tell you, they don't eat canned meat.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • cincybearcat
    cincybearcat Posts: 16,976
    I believe it can in some ways and agree with Cosmo about the political effect.

    However, I also feel it gets a bum rap. It's nice to have some "escape" shows where you don't have to really think and you just sit back and enjoy it. You know it's mindless junk and you love it for what it is. I don't think there is anything wrong with a few hours of that each week.

    Now, if you can't tell it's mindless junk...well then I don't think the TV has dumbed you down, I think you were dumb to begin with. The generic "you".
    hippiemom = goodness
  • catefrances
    catefrances Posts: 29,003
    and sharing your thoughts with us lovely people. :P :mrgreen:
    Paul David wrote:
    which is why I don't own a cell phone/blackberry or any of that shit. My pc is enough. And I quit facebook recently. I use my pc for music only now.
    Gonzo1977 wrote:
    If you can believe it...Actually, less and less people are watching TV these days...that's a fact.

    Internet, iphones, ipads, video games, ect...

    The disturbing thing is that there is less and less pysical interation between humans today.

    Facebook, Twitter, Text Messaging, Online Retail...human interaction is on the decline and that is what is destroying culture on all levels.

    We're detached from the very thing that once allowed us evolve.

    Physical Communication.

    When is the last time you learnt something that didn't come from the Internet?

    We used to bounce ideas off eachother, share books, stories, music.

    We never needed the Internet to converse, and actually physically communicate...Why do we depend on it so much now?

    180 characters or less behind a wall, and inside a house.

    1994 is viewed as the dawning of Internet Age as well as The Technological Revolution.

    What's interesting and more than a little bit alarming is that the specific Vitamin D levels that our bodies used to absorb from the sun have been on a dangerous rapid and steady decline since 1994??

    It need not be a mystery as to how we've now become Insufficient/deficiant in levels of an important vitamin that used to be easily attained by just going outside and getting a little bit of fresh air?

    I guess it's no shocker that obesity has also rapidly increased in this perriod of time as well.

    Did you know that Vitamin D actually helps the brain?

    or...that obesity actually kills brain cells?

    Something to think about.
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  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    completely agree. I think I mentioned earlier, tv has dumbed down due to supply and dumb-and.
    cincybearcat wrote:
    I believe it can in some ways and agree with Cosmo about the political effect.

    However, I also feel it gets a bum rap. It's nice to have some "escape" shows where you don't have to really think and you just sit back and enjoy it. You know it's mindless junk and you love it for what it is. I don't think there is anything wrong with a few hours of that each week.

    Now, if you can't tell it's mindless junk...well then I don't think the TV has dumbed you down, I think you were dumb to begin with. The generic "you".
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • Hugh Freaking Dillon
    Hugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    for another week and a half or so, anyway.

    :wave:
    catefrances wrote:
    and sharing your thoughts with us lovely people. :P :mrgreen:
    Gimli 1993
    Fargo 2003
    Winnipeg 2005
    Winnipeg 2011
    St. Paul 2014
  • Jeanwah
    Jeanwah Posts: 6,363
    Gonzo1977 wrote:
    We're not meant to be an indoor creature...Hense the Vitamin D levels that are on constant decline and the obesity rates which have been increasing steadily in the Internet age.

    Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps many parts of the body including the brain.
    Locking ourselves indoors...actually effects the brain...It's crazy...but it's very very true.
    Vitamin D comes from the sun, not from just being outdoors in general. Folks living in the North East have low levels especially during the winter, when sun isn't abundant anyways. Not to mention that wearing sunscreen prevents the skin from absorbing it. It's an issue, but not completely due to simply being indoors all the time.

    We now return to our regular program. :D
  • _
    _ Posts: 6,657
    Cosmo wrote:
    They cannot differentiate between political commentary and political fact... journalism and entertainment.

    This.

    I actually think this is one of the biggest problems of our country today.
  • Cosmo
    Cosmo Posts: 12,225
    cincybearcat wrote:
    I believe it can in some ways and agree with Cosmo about the political effect.

    However, I also feel it gets a bum rap. It's nice to have some "escape" shows where you don't have to really think and you just sit back and enjoy it. You know it's mindless junk and you love it for what it is. I don't think there is anything wrong with a few hours of that each week.

    Now, if you can't tell it's mindless junk...well then I don't think the TV has dumbed you down, I think you were dumb to begin with. The generic "you".
    ...
    I agree... television is okay as long as you consider its basic intention... to entertain. There is nothing wrong with even mindless entertainment from shows like 'Jackass' or 'Jersey Shore'. It is when people confuse entertainment with information or reality with imagery. To watch Jersey Shore and laugh at those douchebags is entertainment... to watch Jersey Shore and believe it is a way to gain fame and fortune... by being a douchebag in the real world is a result.
    Television is only as moronic as the people who believe it. If you believe that Glenn Beck is actually conducting History Class and you should disgard the history that thousands of 'historians' have written... well, then I guess we can regard you as a 'Situation'.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • mikepegg44
    mikepegg44 Posts: 3,353
    short answer...No.

    Long answer would be that the user is the one responsible for learning. TV is a tool, and so is the internet, it is up to the user to get out of it what they want. The TV isn't responsible for how people use it. Ultimately it comes down to the person either wanting to learn and improve their life or wanting to go through life like Flounder...
    Blaming TV or any programming for human failure isn't right, it is more passing of the buck. I watch television during the week, and it doesn't make me want to learn any less, in fact a lot of what I watch would be considered educational.
    All that being said, some of us just want to relax and watch the Situation be a jackass.
    that’s right! Can’t we all just get together and focus on our real enemies: monogamous gays and stem cells… - Ned Flanders
    It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
    - Joe Rogan

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