Televisions effect on Society
Created | Updated Jul 14, 2002
I first wrote this on 1st March 1998 - but it still stands true. I think anyway, so here it is unchanged.
Television, whether we like it or not, has become the god in which we all
believe.
The directors and producers of popular television programmes and films
dictate the behaviour patterns of the masses.
Thus, real life has become false and television has become reality.
example:
in a TV situation when someone is talking on a phone to another third
party whom we don't see, the conversation is false, the actor we see will
often repeat sentences that the other party has apparently relayed to
them.
This is normally an unnatural act, you don't need to repeat what someone
says to you back to them, but if the actor didn't do that then we (the
viewers) would miss important information to the plot of the story.
fair enough.
However, humans, like sheep, feel the need to be a part of a group, and
behave in a way which is acceptable to the whole group. They copy
behaviour patterns that they observe..
Television is powerful enough that it can set the standards by which we
live, ie, you will often find people in real life situations talking on a
phone and repeating pointless things back to the third party...
But because they have observed this as being the normal thing to do on TV
proggrammes it doesn't appear to be a strange way to behave.
I however think its bloody stupid.
Therefore, real life has become false.
example2:
Anyone in an official position of any sort will often speak to you in a
way which somehow seems false, as if they were reading from a script,
official speak which is all designed that no one can sue you if you say
something wrong..
Wheras, everyone in 'The Bill' (popular police drama series) talk to
punters in a much more natural way.
Therefore, television has become normal, and real life false.
Television, whether we like it or not, has become the god in which we all
believe.
The directors and producers of popular television programmes and films
dictate the behaviour patterns of the masses.
Thus, real life has become false and television has become reality.
example:
in a TV situation when someone is talking on a phone to another third
party whom we don't see, the conversation is false, the actor we see will
often repeat sentences that the other party has apparently relayed to
them.
This is normally an unnatural act, you don't need to repeat what someone
says to you back to them, but if the actor didn't do that then we (the
viewers) would miss important information to the plot of the story.
fair enough.
However, humans, like sheep, feel the need to be a part of a group, and
behave in a way which is acceptable to the whole group. They copy
behaviour patterns that they observe..
Television is powerful enough that it can set the standards by which we
live, ie, you will often find people in real life situations talking on a
phone and repeating pointless things back to the third party...
But because they have observed this as being the normal thing to do on TV
proggrammes it doesn't appear to be a strange way to behave.
I however think its bloody stupid.
Therefore, real life has become false.
example2:
Anyone in an official position of any sort will often speak to you in a
way which somehow seems false, as if they were reading from a script,
official speak which is all designed that no one can sue you if you say
something wrong..
Wheras, everyone in 'The Bill' (popular police drama series) talk to
punters in a much more natural way.
Therefore, television has become normal, and real life false.
