Social Influences Of Television Argumentative Essays Example

Abstract

The television continues to influence the lives of many people in terms of advances in technology, as an aesthetic medium, or a social force. It has reformed the way the world and the people live their lives, including attitudes, relationships, and behaviors. As a medium for entertainment, the television was able to establish a “relationship” with the viewers wherein people empathize with characters they watch on shows. As a result, there are moments when people would rather stay glued on TV rather than develop relationships with other human beings. They have become dependent on television for relaxation and source of comfort and entertainment, which results to instances of social isolation leading to various illnesses. People soon developed a distorted idea of reality such that their lives either revolve around what they see on television or are easily affected by the characters they patronize. While it is a good outlet for entertainment, the problem is that with the creativity and excitement television offers people, they become used to the false sense of socialization they get out of it.

The television is one of the greatest technological innovations that ever happened in the world. Since its invention in the late 1920s, it has successfully infiltrated the American homes and society in general. Television has captured the fancy of the viewing public such that an average American home is not complete without even a single unit. Studies reveal that Americans spend a minimum of two-and-a-half hours in front of a television just watching TV and without engaging in other activities like reading or socializing with family or friends. So dependent has society become on television that a day is not complete without watching the daily shows, movies, reality shows, political shows, sports channels, and more. As a result, instead of socializing with other people, those with television sets at home would opt to just watch instead of developing relationships with others. Thus, television viewers’ attention span has been on the decline as television allows people to become unmotivated and solitary. In order to make up for the decline in attention span, TV executives have become increasingly creative in their offerings to keep the minds of their audiences stimulated, excited, and interested. As a result, the viewers develop a false sense of socialization and belongingness in watching television shows as they begin to identify with the characters in shows that they watch.
On the social front, television affects the way people develop and maintain relationships. Research confirms that people, instead of increasing their contact with humans actually suffer from a phenomenon called social isolation, borne from their fake relationships with characters they identify with in TV shows they regularly watch. They develop this unconsciously, which later on results to loneliness and depression both of which are serious health risks. Most often, these people die prematurely because social isolation weakens the immune function and heightens inflammation. These could lead to arthritis, type II diabetes, and heart diseases (Olien). These individuals form pseudo-relationships with the TV characters by investing their time and effort in the canned lives of TV characters.
Shrum (n.d.) asserts that this is a form of reality distortion because it contains more violence than what is really in reality, with crime and violence depicted 10 times more than is presented in the real-world scenarios (242). It also presents a very materialistic world that somehow makes people resent whatever life they have in reality. For instance, people are more affluent on TV and hold regular jobs such as doctors, lawyers, and policemen. Television also presents more of life’s issues such as marital woes and dishonesty, which promotes marital infidelity (242).
Furthermore, evidence shows that television contributes to criminal behavior as people are heavily influenced by media as much as they are by their personal experiences. Individuals are influenced by symbolic representations of reality rather than by what they experience (“Television and Family – The Social Uses and Influence of Television on Families”). Ray Surette, a researcher in the fields of media and crime found out that what individuals know all come from situations that people did not necessarily experience or witness but which they believed as true because they saw the idea formed on television. In the same manner, people develop misconceptions based on what they believe happened although they did not really personally see or experience an event (“The Influence of Technology, Media, and Popular Culture on Criminal Behavior” 369).
Television is also said to be the cause of changing norms of social propriety. Where use of decent and appropriate language is taught in homes, too much exposure to television where cussing, profanity, and vulgarity are the norm soon make people comfortable and accepting of language and behavior which were once considered as socially inappropriate. Additionally, because such language and behavior becomes typical and tolerable, other forms of media soon follow suit in order to maintain their viewership or readership (“The Social Impact of Television”).
The false sense of social wealth brought about by owning a television set has led many to live unhealthy lifestyles. The television was accepted readily as a form of social activity for family and friends, thus, households soon went from a one-television households to multiple television households. As this became the custom, the more people developed into socially isolated individuals as the purpose of the TV became more of a leisure or recreational activity. It turned into a solution to address boredom or the answer for relaxation. It has become a habit for children, which they also brought to adulthood and continued to practice with their own children. Soon enough, the time spent on television steadily increased with each succeeding generation.
Individuals who spend longer hours watching television are more likely to keep on doing low energy activities, some of which may have no opportunities for human interaction. By not engaging in any social activities, then the television becomes even more a welcome respite or reason not to mingle and develop relationships especially when the individual finds it a source of companionship. As media continues to develop and advance, then the more it becomes part of the American socialization structure. As a result, the more it becomes difficult to break the notion about the influences of television on socialization.

Works Cited

Olien, Jessica. “Loneliness is Deadly.” N.d. Web. 8 March 2015. <http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/08/dangers_of_loneliness_social_isolation_is_deadlier_than_obesity.html>.
Shrum, L.J. “Television Viewing and Social Reality: Effects and Underlying Processes.” N.d. Web. 9 March 2015. <http://faculty.business.utsa.edu/ljshrum/MichaelaBookChapter.pdf>.
“Television and Family – The Social Uses and Influence of Television on Families.” N.d. Web. 9 March 2015. <http://family.jrank.org/pages/1681/Television-Family-Social-Uses-Influence-Television-on-Families.html>.
“The Influence of Technology, Media, and Popular Culture on Criminal Behavior.” N.d. Web. 9 March 2015. <http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/19507_Chapter_10.pdf>.
“The Social Impact of Television.” N.d. Web. 9 March 2015. <http://www.cybercollege.com/frtv/frtv030.htm>.