?Television – The Plug-In Drug? Essay, Research Paper

Reader Response to: ?Television – The Plug-In Drug?

I found this whole essay written by, Marie Winn, to be extremely interesting, and I also felt it was a very true reflection on today?s society. Who, in the past, would ever have thought that the television would be seen as a necessity in today?s household. She even says in paragraph 2, that in one state your television can?t get repossessed. I still think that having one is to considered a luxury in the household.

She speaks, in her essay, about relevant topics concerning the effects of television on the family. I agree with her, because even in our home, one can often see the effects that television has on the family. The way she talks about it in her essay, suggests that she is strongly against the large influence that the television has on the families in our modern society. As she says, ?As family ties grow weaker and vaguer, as children?s lives become more seperated from their parents?, as parents? educational role in their children?s lives is taken over by television and schools, family life becomes increasingly more unsatisfying for both parents and children,? on page270, paragraph, 42.

As the one writer put in 1949, ?Television is going to be a real asset in every hoe where there are children?, on page 262 paragraph 2. By reading the rest of the essay she makes it clear to us that Television can have both positive as well as negative aspects to it. In the beginning it was thought that it would cause families to spend more time at home and not to disperse everywhere, which to everywhere, which to on extent is true but does it bring the family closer ?together?. I certainly don?t think so, and as she says in paragraph 9 on p264, ?For while it has, indeed, kept the members of the family from dispersing, it has not served to bring them together?, so, the quote from page 263 paragraph 4, ?No survey?s needed, of course, to establish that television has brought the family together in one room?, rises up mixed emotions in me as it does get the family gathered in one room but it does not bring the family truly together. She, throughout the entire piece of writing gives good evidence that the television is taking over in society. She shows especially that she is concerned about the children that are growing up with the television as the central focus in the household.

One example that she uses is the one about the family with two children who fought the entire time about who is going to watch which television program when. The mother then decided that 2and a half hours was going to be allowed per day, which would allow the grown-ups to eat in peace and it also prevented the two boys from fighting with each other. The point that she makes when she says the one boy even admitted that there was nothing on that he was actually interested in watching, so he was just sitting in front of the television for the sake of it. She goes on to say, and I strongly agree, ??..isn?t there a better family life available than this dismal, mechanized arrangement of children watching television for however long is allowed them, evening after evening.? One has to wonder if there might be a possibility of this taking place in her own home that sparked the interest in her to write such a well written and to the point essay. She obviously knows what she is talking about because as she explains it in the essay is the way it really is in today?s households. Television is replacing the true family values. The true values that keep families TOGETHER.

Television has in itself become a ritual that has and is replacing the so very important rituals and values of today?s society. She says, ?But of course it has not been the only contributing factor, perhaps not even the most important one.? She then goes on to speak about the effects on children with the increasing number of divorces etc. on page 269 paragraph 38. I tend to disagree with her here, because I feel that television plays an important role in the increasing numbers of divorced couples going up as well. Television takes the place of important communication between family members.

Finally, one can see that by the content of this essay she also remembers a time when families sat around the dinner table together and the children played together outside for hours without getting bored. This is what society of today is lacking. She has written a rally good, well thought about essay and she did the necessary research to back her statements up. I truly enjoyed this essay and the way she ends off by saying, ??., a day seems to offer just enough time for a good-night kiss,? just emphasizes the whole point of the essay. TO MUCH TELEVISION!