Semester Essay#4: Television Mono

Prompt-8: Research shows that the average American watches as much as six hours of television each day. Do you think this is too much? Write an essay convincing readers to spend less time in front of the TV.

Television is one of the most popular forms of entertainment. It not only has news channels, soap operas, and cartoons, but it also has movies, reality television, Spanish shows, Korean shows, comedy shows, music videos, and sometimes games. Television is one of the most popular inventions in America and the world. Since the start of its popularity, Americans watch as much as six hours a day watching television. This is an unhealthy matter to Americans of all ages because it can cause many physical and mental problems. Americans should spend less time in front of the television and more time interacting outside.

Watching too much television can cause obesity. A person will watch his or her favorite television show. In the middle of it, he or she is caught up by TV commercials. The TV commercials can advertise unhealthy foods, such as candy, chips, and soda, which will lure the person to eat this “treat”. The person will only eat the junk food and continue to watch his or her favorite show. He or she will never leave the couch and end up watching the show in his or her sleep. After that, the person repeats the cycle.

The amount of time someone spends watching TV can take away a good social life. Especially for the younger generation, television can affect a child’s brain development and sociability around other children and adults. “According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF):

·         Two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen an average of 2 hours a day

·         Kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs

·         Kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games.”

(http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html)

Children tend to be more aggressive towards other children and adults because they see too much violence on TV shows. They become unaware of the real world because they assume that the violent acts and risks illustrated by TV characters are true. This causes many misleading messages that can confuse a child. A child will imitate what they saw on TV and use the TV character’s behavior as a way to interact with other people.

Television can have its good uses with moderation. Parents can use it to educate children about different life lessons and complicated subjects such as sex and drinking alcohol, although, they have to be mindful of the television ratings (e.g., TV-PG). It is fine to watch some entertainment with your friends and family or even by yourself but make sure watching television doesn’t become too much of a habit. Watch, at most, two hours of television and then immediately turn it off. You do not want to miss the fun that is outside your doors.

Bibliography

Gavin, M.L., MD. How TV Affects Your Child. Oct 2008. Website. <http://kidshealth.org/parent

/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html#>