Television at its worst

Ms. VÅ© Thị Lan Anh Class A4, Finance and Banking Topic: Television at Its Worst Mr. Stevenson has just come home from a terribly tiring day at work. The first thing he does, after taking off his tie and shoes, is plop down on the couch and turn on the television. Does this sound like a normal routine? It should because Mr. Stevenson’s actions are repeated by millions around the world. People use television to relax and to forget about their daily troubles. However, what started out decades ago as an exciting, new type of family entertainment is currently being blamed for problems, especially in children. Many researchers now claim that too much television is not good for kids. They have a point; watching too much TV often does have negative effects on youngsters. One negative effect of TV on kids is laziness. Many kids are so addicted to the attractive programs like films, game shows, and music videos that they cannot take their eyes off the TV. They keep sitting, or laying still all the time, watching their favorite channels. This means they don’t spend enough time for other necessary activities, such as doing homework, housework or doing some exercises. As a result, their get fewer good marks than their schoolmates, and they have to face the threat of diseases, such as obesity, heart diseases, etc. Another problem with TV watching and kids is that the children may have difficulty distinguishing between what is real and what is not. This happens when kids watch too much films that they are obsessed with imaginary worlds. It’s very cool to be superman, the hero who have superstrength, supervision to fight the evil and save the world. But superman is not real. It would be fantastic to have magic power, so that you could fly on a broom and whisper a spell to destroy the enemy. But such magic power doesn’t exist, either. Kids are still kids, they usually want to be just like their idols. But if they keep dreaming too much, they may forget how to live in the real life. Finally, television may lead children to violence. Seeing violence on TV can lead children to some negative effects. Children often imitate what they see. They may become less sensitive to the pain and suffering of the others, or even behave in aggressive way towards others. On the other hand, many kids could feel more fearful of the world around them. Either way, television violence is no good for children. Television has changed over the years to include more and more programs that are inappropriate for children. For TV to once again play a more positive role in children’s lives, something must be done. Young people’s future depend on it.