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Television - 20th Century Tragedy :: (Howard S. Emanuel)

Television, or by its popular acronym 'TV', has occupied a prominent position in our lounge rooms, and increasingly our lives for the past 30 to 40 years....

By Howard S. Emanuel - 6th June 2006 - Back to News

Television :: 20th Century Tragedy

Television, or by its popular acronym 'TV', has occupied a prominent position in our lounge rooms, and increasingly our lives for the past 30 to 40 years. TV has unfortunately become the Holy Grail of modern Australian society, in that it seems to be beyond question in regard to its inherent value, and beyond challenge regarding its prominence in our lives.

On average 98 out of 100 Australian homes have at least one of these broadcasters of entertainment and information, and indeed the occupants of these homes pay homage to this icon with a military regularity, and something approaching a religious zeal.

I believe the old adage of a family night in front of the television as a quality way to spend time, has lost all credence, as I now understand just what an addictive and isolationist medium TV really is.

Isolationist in the sense that TV has the ability to quell even the liveliest conversation, the brightest discourse, smack bang in its tracks. How many of us have endured the tedium of constantly attempting to stimulate a conversation with a partner or friend who has one ear and both eyes fixed firmly on the tube. Their pretence to conversation is indeed an affront to any real relationship, and in the case of friends has forced me to make a mental note not to bother with another visit.

One would also argue it is essential to ensure the home or family environment is dynamic and interesting, and that it offer our children and ourselves the forum to express our feelings and ideas, and the freedom and opportunity to be involved in active family dialogue. The need to ensure there is opportunity for open expression is of paramount importance.

One in three Australian children now have their own TV, presumably in their own room. Just how this is supposed to assist in the important development of social and human interactive skills is beyond me. Of course our young are losing the art of meaningful and searching conversation, TV watching isn’t an interactive exercise, the discourse is all one way. The development of a truly individual personality is stymied and retarded by TV, as a young persons mind is fed broader notions, instead of the child or adolescent relying on their inherent powers of sensory perception to decide for themselves what their opinions are.

Are we creating a society of like-minded thinkers, all basing their ideals, values and opinions on what their fed by the TV?

I fundamentally believe TV destroys the opportunity for original and dynamic thinking to flourish in our society, as we spend less and less time in a diverse range of stimulative activities, and more time all absorbing the same message from the TV.

In another sense TV has so much to answer for concerning societal breakdown, as we bunker down in front of the TV instead of facing the issues and concerns that confront us. We need to discuss our problems, work through them and if necessary learn to work for a amicable outcome, not hide and indulge in the folly that when we resurface all will be well. I personally, don’t wont to present that behaviour to my children as an example of how we create an understanding, tolerant and cohesive society.

Active community and family participation have also fallen victim to TV given that we allocate far to much of our precious spare time sitting in the lounge room, or increasingly, lying in bed watching telly. Life is a busy journey full of challenges that require effort and application, and we need to ration any spare time we have sensibly, to allow ourselves to feel content that we are making a real effort toward the building of broader understanding in our families, communities and society, by participating in a range of activities together.

There seems to be plenty of disillusionment, dismay and criticism out there these days, widespread condemnation of our circumstances, yet how much time do we give to improving our lot, or do we relax in front of the TV, indulge in a bit of fantasy and leave it to someone else to fix it all up, yet at the same time maintain our rage.

Society doesn’t work that way and who could deny we are not witnessing the steady decline of our society, led by inactivity, denial, apathy and inertia.

We supposedly ‘unwind’ and relax in front of our TV, yet I question just how relaxing is it to be bombarded with violence, fantasy and blatant miss-truths, as well as countless advertisements, designed to make us want in most cases what we don’t really need. Are we seduced and attracted by the glamorous lives of some TV characters or stars, where every thing is so perfect, that in fact we compare our own circumstances and begin to question just why we cant dwell in endless bliss ourselves. Constant escape into fantasy can replace the reality, that contentment comes through participation and effort, not physical beauty or wealth, two very common themes espoused on television.

So-called controlled watching can indeed ensure that quality programs are accessed free of other less desirable material. Quite obviously there exists programs of high value content that can educate, inform and contribute to a sound education and information base, but these are in the minority.

Controlled watching is a noble concept, but it doesn’t take into account the addictive nature of television where many find it hard to turn the thing off when a specific program is finished. Children or those living on their own are particularly vulnerable to the addictive nature of TV. The former seeking stimulation not found elsewhere in their lives, and the latter probably through sheer loneliness and the desperate need of company of any kind. Or perhaps as a way of blocking out the painful reality of their existence.

In any real sense TV cannot replace the fundamental needs of a person to interact, be involved and to be in a position to establish relationships built on interest or mutual understanding. As a society we are too willing to allow the TV to take over our obligation and responsibility of ensuring that all community members are connecting with others, that we take time to enquire as to the welfare of those around us. We are becoming prisoners in our own homes, transfixed to the television and missing out on so much, including the opportunity to be involved in the building of beneficial relationships, and all the experiences that brings.

Who would by choice in all honesty prefer the company of the television to that of another human being? Not too many we hope.

In short at both adolescent and adult level, TV has become a most convenient baby sitter.

There exists other pastimes of more value than TV, such as reading, art, craft or hobby work, participation in different forms of sport or recreation, additional or mature aged study and certainly family and community activities.

All of the above lead to the development of the individual personality as the participant goes through the process of determining just what activities their attracted too, and those which they will pursue in their lives. What we do, and our personal interests, make us the person that we are.

Television homogenises us into a group or body that has the one common theme, a discourse on last nights episode of whatever program. Our conversation becomes thoughtless, flaccid and uninteresting and fails to challenge or stimulate us. How many social occasions are dominated by a commentary of the latest scandal or whatever, to descend upon our favourite television character.

Now it seems the television is to be used as a medium to facilitate such insidious forms of entertainment such as Game Boy, Nintendo, Play Station and a host of other products of no value. Who could honestly say that any of these products promote a healthy balanced lifestyle, an inquiring mind, an active and informed mind, and one to be used for personal and broader benefit?

Such products as the aforementioned have no tangible value, they promote laziness, slothfulness, inertia, and an increasing trend toward sedentary lifestyles in our young, but most seriously they promote isolation and self indulgence. These products also encourage our young to form relationships with technologies, where they are not challenged in a human sense. Habitual isolation leads to a lack of interactive skill development, and a general lack of understanding of the needs of others. Are we not seeing a move toward less tolerant interaction in our societies, where participants seem to have no knowledge or understanding of compromise or passive argument.

PAY-TV will only exacerbate the tragic impacts of television as we dial up our own personal form of escapism available 24 hours a day, under the premise that the consumer has more choice.

More choice to loose the art of communication and interaction, and a move toward an increasing lack of human dialogue, life in an alien and unreal realm, removed from the necessary checks and balances, challenges and stimuli of life. Our lifestyles are becoming sedentary enough as many tasks that used to require physical effort are performed by machinery of one kind or another, and now the majority of our spare or recreation time is supposed to be spent in slothful escapism. (Never mind the addition to our entertainment costs). The only beneficiaries of PAY-TV will be the mega corporations and their incumbent shareholders who own these companies, laughing all the way to the bank on the back of sponsored human ignorance, misery, and broader societal breakdown.

Television will one day be exposed as a true tragedy in our society, where what started out as a form of entertainment grew to become something that consumed many of us to a point where we had absolutely no opportunity to reach our peak individual potential in life.

Denying us personally of the opportunity of a life that is stimulating, purposeful and dynamic, but importantly society is robbed of a resource that should be put toward helping us build a better and fairer society.

To conclude, if we turn off the television we regain our ability to think independently, to make our own special contribution, and importantly to spend time with others so as we can work at the life long task of defeating ignorance and misunderstanding, both in ourselves and others.

Thank you.

Howard Emanuel

Mobile: 0400 159 896

E-mail: howard@howardemanuel.com

Web: www.HowardEmanuel.com

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: howard-emanuel@hotmail.com

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