C. MacLellan Photography: Essay: Impact of Television on People's Lives

Part 1
The following is about the negative impact television has on people’s lives.

Though it may be slightly educational, and very entertaining, television has become an abused item of technology in each of our lives. From the latest news around the world to children’s cartoons, it all can become a very important part of our daily lives and is ruining our perspective on life all along.

The first point in this section is that TV robs you of your time. Hours can go by spent by watching TV and not even knowing it. All that time you could have been doing something more worthwhile of your time & effort. Only watching TV in your spare time can soon turn you into a couch potato and steal the importance of exercise in your life. Watching TV does seem to feel good- not having to work, but your body will thank you later if you keep exercise a higher priority than television.

Secondly, TV takes the place of recreational activities & family time. On average we watch TV for four hours each day. That time can easily be spent more wisely by taking a walk, being with friends, participating in a hobby, etc. If television is implicated in a problem like childhood obesity, it’s likely something about the content, not the time spent watching it. When not watching TV, you have a lot more time for other people. You can focus on making other people happy rather than just trying to satisfy your own fleshly desires-, which you are not accountable to in the first place.

The third point is that TV fills your mind with unpromising lies. I think this point is the most important because most of the world is blind to it. You’d be surprised how much the media affects everyday life. Body Lotion, Shampoo, Perfume/Cologne, Clothing & Food commercials tell you that their products will make you a better, happier person. Your TV tells you-"You are boring “The people you know are stupid.” “The things you yourself could do are second rate" "Thank God you have television to bring glamour and professional entertainment into your life!"
The media defines how the world should look; act, and even live- and surprisingly, most of us are buying into this lie. Of all people, Adolph Hitler found out that if you tell a lie, at least 50% of the people will believe it. So many TV commercials guarantee happiness when you use their product. True, everlasting happiness does not come from the pleasure of material items. Earthly happiness comes from nothing but the very chance to breathe another day, being thankful you have a family to call your own, knowing you have a lifetime to live however you’d like, knowing that you can without a doubt pursue all your dreams and desires.

Yes, material items may add to the spice of life and possibly make things easier for you- but what value is it to you if it doesn’t matter to you in 30 years. If it doesn’t last, why put your effort and time, and pleasure into it? It’s just another passing thing that is made in vain for the end of the world. TV is controlling if you don’t take control of yourself.

The biggest lie that bugs me the most about Television is that it tells you that to be beautiful you have to be skinny, have flawless skin, perfect hair, and perfect everything practically. But none of those things are even close to the real definition of beauty. Beauty comes from the inside out through gentleness, modesty, service, purity, forgiveness, humility, joy, and hospitality. It is what is on the inside that counts! TV is constantly advertising things to make you look better or smell better or feel better, has their ever been a commercial that advertises a product that magnifies who you really are? I can’t think of one.

TV makes things look more attractive than they really are. Have you ever noticed in say… a burger commercial, they add special effects, & a broad vocabulary to make the burger look fantastic when really its just a plain old burger. Or in a cologne commercial, they tell men that if they wear this cologne that all the ladies will love them. Not true, right? This is what I mean when I say the media makes simple things look 10 times more attractive than they really appear to be in real life.

TV is most definitely a very potential addiction. It is noted that the average person spends about three hours a day sitting in front of the TV set, which is half of their leisure time. And, it is known that heavy viewers report watching eight hours a day. If you feel obligated to watch TV at least once a day- I think you better think about what you’re putting yourself into. Here is the definition of “addiction,”

“Addiction is characterized by spending an unusually large amount of time using a substance that is addictive; finding oneself using it more often than intended; thinking about reducing the use, and are making repeated unsuccessful attempts to reduce it; giving up social activities to use the substance, and reporting withdrawal symptoms when one does achieve stopping the use.”

From what I said in the beginning, that TV robs you of your time- that is just another symptom of having a TV addiction. You don’t have to allow TV to be a priority. Television can teach and amuse, and it does provide needed distraction and escape. Yet, the difficulty arises when one strongly senses the need to stop viewing as much, and yet find they are unable to reduce viewing. If you sense that your spouse, children, parents or friends are wanting your attention but are unable to get it because of you watching TV- it’s time so consider whether or not you should be watching it at all.