How Tv Impacts Teens Essay, Research Paper

Bud…Weis… Er! This is a phrase that teenagers hear everyday. Where do they hear this? They hear it on TV. It is a phrase used in a commercial for beer. This phrase is used to attract people s attention including teenagers. This is one of many problems with TV these days. TV teaches teens the wrong material. Some of the other problems with TV include violence and dialogue.

When it comes to commercials on TV, people think of the cola wars between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, or maybe they think of the famous Energizer bunny. However, there are also commercials for beer and cigarettes. These are items that could be fatal in some cases. Yet, these items are advertised on TV for teenagers to see. Commercials for beer or cigarettes aren t to pursue just adults, but to pursue adolescents as well. The tobacco companies and alcohol

companies know that teens are the age group who are most vulnerable, therefore these large industries target their ads towards teens. For example, there is a commercial for Molson Ice a brand of beer that use teens in their ad. The ad s scenario is a high school party where teens are having fun while drinking beer. So what are teenagers going to think? They will think that if they drink beer they will have as much as the teens in the commercial. As a result of adolescents

drinking there will be violence.

Where do teens learn the concept of violence? Where else but TV. There is definitely way too much violence on television. For example on cable networks such as HBO or Showtime, there are shows that are built around violence. Shows such as OZ. This show is about prisoners who fight and kill for the sake of fighting and killing. These kinds of shows cause teens to be violent. Teens see only one way of dealing with their problems and instead dealing with obstacles peacefully, they use their fists, knives, or even guns. Another result of violence on TV is the formation of gangs. Teenage gangs exist throughout the state of New York, including the peaceful town of Port Washington, where I live. So now people will realize that violent teens is due to the violenceon TV.

A third problem with TV is the dialogue. Adolescents today make more grammar mistakes then ever before. The grammar problems are a result of watching TV shows that use too many slang words and phrases instead of real English. For example shows such as the Wayan s Brothers use phrases like Yo! I ain t done nothing man! or Yo! Where my hommies at? The way the first line would be translated is: Hey! I didn t do anything wrong. The problem with this passage

is that instead of didn t , the person used the word ain t , which is incorrect grammar. If the second phrase was translated in English it would say: Hey! Where are my friends? The problem is that hommies isn t even a word, and it shouldn t be used. When teenagers hear these lines on TV, they start to laugh. The reason they laugh is because this way of speech is ridiculous. Yet, teens use these phrases almost every day. In a way teens know this kind of speech is wrong, but they contradict themselves by using phrases like these. The way teenagers speak is definitely a problem. But the only way it can be resolved is by helping teens stop watching TV.

People may disagree with the fact that TV is bad, because there are cartoons on TV and there are learning shows like Sesame Street. Well, that is true, but even cartoons are a danger to

teens. As mentioned teenagers are vulnerable and they will do anything their favorite character does on TV. For example, in the cartoon Beavis and Butthead, the main character throws bowling

balls from his apartment down on to the sidewalk. After this episode, a teenager here in New York tried to do the same. Nevertheless, the results were deadly. A bowling bowl hit a lady walking on the sidewalk and died. As for shows like Sesame Street… they are bad because teens would spend too much time in front of the tube and they will read less and become lazier.

This bowl of lukewarm tapioca represents my brain. I offer it in humble sacrifice. Bestow thy flickering light forever. This is a quote from the cartoon Calvin and Hobbes. This cartoon is

trying to say that TV basically hypnotizes the person and brain, and therefore adolescents will do whatever the TV does. They will be violent like the TV, they will talk like the TV, and they will

think like the TV. This is why TV is a bad influence on teenagers today.