Numerous studies
and researches on the number of hours spent in
front of the television by an average American
reveals that it is anywhere between five and six
hours every day. That is also the approximate
amount of time spent on sleeping or working. From
this perspective alone, one may assess the importance
and influence of television in viewing the world
around us, as well as the lives we live. Though
this may add up to a considerable time wasted,
the same time could have been utilized for example
with our children and families, involving ourselves
in creative and constructive thinking as well
as physical involvement in the more important
community and welfare projects.
However, one of the most devastative effects
of sitting long hours in front of the television
sets is the changed and more than distorted view
of the world around us, both in the academic perspective,
as well as the international arena. Thus, the
average American today is less interested in reading,
comprehension, as well as writing. One may also
observe that the average American's views on the
different political, economic and social nature
of events occurring around the world have also
undergone a significant change. Various researches
into this particular aspect show that irrespective
of the nature of programs watched, whether it
is "The Simpsons, McNeil/Leherer, Nightline,
or Murphy Brown", the larger segment of the
Americans are moving towards illiteracy and 'stupidity'.
These problems have been further compounded by
the fact that television viewer-ship has increased
due to the rise in number of private channels,
each catering to a specific segment of the viewers.
For example there are specific channels each for
news such as CNN, as also for movies, comedy,
sports weather as well as for the financial news
for the global business community.
One of the best measures for assessing how the
views of the larger populations sitting in front
of the television have undergone significant change
is found in the somewhat systematic brainwashing
that is deliberately exercised with each viewer.
For example, when watching television, one may
note that a deliberate attempt is made to create
a tense environment, which in turn leads to a
rise in the levels of stress in average individuals.
Taken this on the magnitude of an entire nation,
one can simply calculate the affects on a nation
wide scale.
Once an environment of tension has been created,
a series of choices are then provided to obtain
release from the already induced tension. Furthermore,
as long as the average viewer believes that the
choices so shown on the television screen are
the only ones available, he or she is prone to
select the given choice, even though the same
first appear to be unacceptable. This is what
one terms as brainwashing, and carried out in
a controlled environment, the average individual
is then left to decide on the only provided choice,
or the 'rational' choice, as the viewer is in
severe need of releasing the tension so created
by the same television. One may also note that
in pursuing this mode of somewhat forced and imposed
choices, the average individual does not make
use of the creative abilities within him or her,
and instead acts on the impulse, similar to an
animal responding to a given tense situation.
Thus, on an average, the larger American population
watching television has come to believe as real,
on the nature and activities shown on their television
sets. Such is the extent of these beliefs that
whatever images are aired on the television, they
are the only ones available as well as the only
reality. This has totally absolved the larger
populations into making up their own minds and
deciding on their own as to the nature of reality.
It is said that if you want something to appear
real, just air it through any of the famous channels
and people will start believing in the same. In
addition, if there is ever an attempt to contradict
whatever is shown on television, people begin
to change the world to make it look like the images
and sounds of their television sets.
One of the best examples of such a brainwashing
session may be observed in the so-called 'opinion
polls' carried out for varied purposes. Thus,
one may generally hear the results of opinion
polls, yet an insight of the same reveals that
for the most part the entire workings and calculations
of these 'opinion polls' are based on the particular
audience and intended for a specific group of
individuals. These specific groups and individuals
contain a particular and narrow view of the common
world, and is more or less concentrated in the
hands of the few elite enjoying the financial
and political powers of majority of global institutions,
a practice that has been passed from one generation
to the next. For this elite group of individuals,
the average and common folks are no more than
'beasts of burden', to be controlled and manipulated
through such mediums as the television.
Hence, the television today is not merely a tool
of education or entertainment. On the contrary,
it is an excellent tool for changing the realities
of life and the world around us. Television also
helps obscure the real images from the ones we
wish to hide and protect, thus serving as a replica
of a hypnotist, whose ultimate aim is to lead
the individual into his particular world of thoughts
and images. Thus, a repetitive wave of images
shown through the hundreds of channels are forced
upon a largely ignorant population, who views
each image as being real and the only one available.
References
L. Wolfe Hey, Turn Off Your Television!! (Mind
Control), 2000, and available at
http://home.iae.nl/users/lightnet/world/television.htm
Ofcomwatch, written for the Community Media Association
issue of September 23, 2004
http://www.ofcomwatch.co.uk/2004/09/wanted-views-on-future-of-local
Views of a Changing World 2003, written for the
'Pew Research Center', and available at
http://people-press.org/reports/d
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