Pros and Cons of Television

For most people, watching television is an enjoyable way to spend time. It is an undemanding activity that passes the time and there are very few families that don’t own at least one television. Since so many people now own a television, there has been a proliferation in the number of channels available and shows to watch, so that you can quite easily find yourself spending hours in front of the television.Consequently, you may neglect other activities that need doing. Thus, although television may help to ease boredom, there are also some negative aspects associated with watching television.Breaking news shown live on your TVGlobal news network allows the latest global events to be aired worldwide and beamed directly to your living room. Examples (from top-left, clockwise) include September 11th attack, 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia, 2008 H1N1 outbreak and 2011 earthquake in Japan.Pros of watching televisionThe positive aspects of watching television include that you have somethi ng to talk to friends and relatives about. There are certain programs which are more popular than others and if you watch them you feel included and that you have something in common with the people around you. Television can help to foster a sense of national identity, since a significant proportion of the population will be exposed to the same kinds of news programs and television shows, so that people feel that they belong to a wider community. Plus, television can also be informative and educational, opening people’s eyes up to the world outside.Educational TV programsEducational TV programs provide priceless information that not only educate but also opens up your mind. Most of these programs teach and educate people on subjects that you may otherwise will not know and are never taught in schools.Cons of watching televisionNon-educational TV programsHowever, there are also a lot of television shows that are not very educational, and could even be considered trash. Realit y shows, for instance, offer nothing of any worth to the audience, yet people still tune in. People get hooked on shows which are poorly produced and concentrate mostly on issues of sex and violence. Although there is no conclusive evidence that watching violence on television makes children more violent, when there is so much violence on television, it makes sense that people would become desensitized to it, and that this could make it easier for children to engage in violent activities.Watching too much TV can lead to weight gain, poor social skills and lower academic results Unsupervised children spending too much of their time in front of a TV can have a big impact on their life. Obesity, lack of social skills and poor academic results are just some of the effects TV have on children. Some psychologist believe that too much TV time can have a major effect in the psychology of the child. Children are suppose to interact and play, not sit and watch.Poor parenting and weight gainIt is also evident that many people spend too much time watching television, so that parents don’t bother to spend any time playing or talking with their children. It is far easier to stick them in front of the television, rather than taking them to the park. It can’t be a coincidence that so many people are now overweight when they spend much more time watching television than they would have done years ago. People used to be a lot more active, but now television is the most convenient way for individuals to keep themselves occupied. Thus, they burn hardly any calories while most probably consuming an excessive amount of calories.It’s addictiveEven though there are many negative aspects associated with watching television, many people enjoy television far too much to reduce the amount  they watch or to avoid watching television altogether. People enjoy not having to think for themselves and to be able to sit down and watch something that helps them to relax, so why would they change?