Television and Society Essay - 763 Words

Television and Society In Marie Winn’s Essay â€Å"Television: The Plug In Drug,† she states, â€Å"Television’s contribution to family life has been an equivocal one.† Winn focuses on the issue of televisions influence in the lives of American families. Her emphasis is on the mediums influence on children. Although she makes a strong case for the negative influence of television, she fails to consider all of the benefits television has brought to American families. On its own, the television is neither bad nor good. It offers many benefits: awareness, entertainment, and relaxation. Depending how the television is used, it can have a positive, or negative, effect on the family. In many cases it can lead to less quality time for the family,†¦show more content†¦It is the demands of the children that build the future relationships among the family members. Today, families now spend more time watching T.V. than engaging in the special family traditions once shared. These rituals, not only brought the group together, but also gave a â€Å"special quality† to their family life. By not participating in these activities, families too lose their individuality and sense of â€Å"belonging†. The television not only affects the family rituals, but has an impact on the connection between the family members as well. It weakens relationships by reducing and sometimes eliminating, normal opportunities for talking, and communicating with each other. It is well established that excessive television viewing breaks apart the family bond. Within the â€Å"breakdown† of many families, television may have played a serious role. The T.V. prevents families from forming that personal connection they need to develop as people. Reduced communication within the family, and too much television watching, also negatively affects the ability of the child to carry on future relationships with others. Children often perceive the images they see as reality, for they often are too young or too absorbed in the television viewing to recognize and distinguish the differences between television drama, and real life. In Winn’s essay, she has made it very apparent, thatShow MoreRelatedTelevision in Society600 Words   |  2 Pages Synthesis Essay Television, a widely accepted form of media and communication, has spread into the political world with an amazing speed. There are both useful and detrimental aspects to this newfound relationship between television and politics. Sources A and E describe the more useful aspects of television within the political sphere, whereas Sources B and C portray the contrastingly detrimental aspects. 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