Television's Positive Effects on Society
According to Marie Winn and her essay "The Plug-In Drug," television has various
negative effects on our society today. In her essay Winn explores the ways in which
television has harmfully caused disruptions with the quality of family life, rituals, and
values. She recognizes there is a problem with our society and the way in which it is
consistently influenced by television. I am able to agree with Winn on this point, but I
do not feel that the totality of the influence is negative. Television today has a lot
of positive effects and influences on our society and our American culture. Television
gives us helpful information, various forms of education, and entertainment which are all
a part of the positive effects that television has on our society.
On a day to day basis, the television keeps us informed with plenty of helpful
information. We are informed through the television of the latest news, weather, and
information which are important in our daily lives. The television often acts as an
almanac, dictionary, and an eye into the world around us. It informs us of the most
recent happenings around the world within seconds. Such as the O.J. Simpson trial, the
Oklahoma City bombing, and the wars taking place in the Middle East. Through TV we can
be warned about almost anything from a hurricane approaching to the fact that the stock
market is falling. The television in today's society has become one of our most basic
resources for information. We use the TV as a convenient way to find out some of the
simplest information such as the date, time, and what is going to be on channel 11 at
9:30. Our American society has designed its lifestyle around the convenience of the TV
and the fact that it is so easily accessible.
The television has other purposes besides convenience. It is a great way of educating
the people throughout society with the important issues that affect our everyday lives.
Be it social, political, economical, or medical, there is always something new to be
told, and the television is the quickest way to get it out to the people. Not only is
the television fast, but it is also very accurate and in depth as well. The television
takes the time to do the research that most Americans are too lazy to do themselves.
Through various news programs and documentaries, the television keeps us educated, and
on the right track so that we as Americans are not left out in the dark when it comes to
the current events around the nation. For example, being that it is an election year, we
are constantly being informed about the candidates, their whereabouts, and the debates.
The reason for this is because, this is an important piece of education when it comes to
the American people. We need to know these things, or we along with our government will
suffer.
Along with informational and educational purposes, television serves as an entertainer
as well. When television was first developed, entertainment was not one of its main
purposes. As time went on people began to sit and watch the television for that reason.
Soon after came the development of sitcoms, and special programs which served as
entertainment purposes. Throughout the years, entertainment on TV has become much more
popular among Americans. The television has become an important part of our
entertainment today. Not only is it more convenient than going to movies, plays,
concerts, or sporting events but it is also a lot cheaper. With modern day television
people do not have to leave their houses, and get dressed up to drive to see what they
could be watching on their own TV sets at home. This is why the television companies
have adapted to meet the needs of the American people by supplying access to movies,
plays, concerts, and the most popular sporting events. This past summer the TV proved
its convenience for entertainment. Many Americans were able to sit back and watch the
Olympics in their own homes, and still be able to get the feel of being there in Atlanta.
Throughout the years, the American people have come to rely on the television and all it
has to offer. The television with its multi-purposes has positively effected our society
through its means of information, education, and entertainment. We as Americans have
become a part of a society which is greatly influenced by the television. Although, this
influence has been proven to affect the quality of family life, as Winn mentions in "The
Plug-In Drug." The positive effects of television on our society as a whole, and the
knowledge it provides is far greater than this quality of life that she mentions. I must
admit that there are both positive and negative aspects that come out of our televisions
today, but I feel that the positive effects definitely out weigh the negatives when it
comes to the importance of information, education, and entertainment for our society.
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