Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Television can be a good thing

Many find that television today with the ambiguous endings instead of happy ones, the increase of anti-heroes instead of just heroes, and that many ways that people of power (politicians, police, etc.) be the antagonist or morally ambiguous instead of just good as a bad thing. I happen to think the opposite. What television today helps show to us is that nothing is ever really black and white, including people.   It helps show that maybe something isn't as good as they seem instead of bringing a simple narrative that might lead some to believe in a simpler worldview.


Back in the 1950's television was simple and many people did not know many problems going on in America, such as racial prejudice, sexism, and many other problems that was not in the public eye. Today there are so many t.v. shows and channels that are fine with shows that show things that show another side of life, whether it looks good or not. People today are then faced with looking at issues that they may not have known otherwise.


Of course there should be some responsibility in watching television, in the sense that they overblown their stories because it is entertainment. It should always be up to the individual in watching television and not everything in television should be taken as fact but it does bring up different thought.

2 comments:

  1. I agree that television can be a good thing. I personally have learned a lot from television, when I was younger but still to this day. But I think that could only happen because my mom let me watch a lot educational shows when I was a kid, instead of just sitting me in front of the tv and let me watch whatever I want. That's why I think that parents contribute a great part to whether tv turns out to be good or bad for children.
    But even when I grew older, I could distinguish which shows are good for me and which shows are rather making me dumb. A lot of people might think Grey's Anatomy falls into the latter category, but I actually learned some medical stuff from it. The same goes for other shows, that make me think more critically of society (e.g. The Walking Dead)

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  2. I agree with your comment about how things aren't black and white anymore. As time goes on, people's views are shaped and changed based on the changing society. As our minds became more progressive, so did television and media. Today, you will find much more diverse programs with people of all races, gender, sexuality, and perspectives. Based on the message that the writers are trying to get across, a TV program might try to sway you politically or on topics of social justice. I think it's great that some TV shows now are bringing in social justice issues, like those of feminism, race, and religion. The more educated people become on those issues, the more willing they will be to educate others and learn more themselves.

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