Since the first creation of television (TV), people all over the world are so amazed with its wide audiovisual information broadcasting capability. And now, where almost everyone can afford it, television has become somewhat a primary need for a family. Information and news spreading is indeed important for a society, but the question is, what if the people spend most of their time with this so-called television? In the scope of a global family and neighboring community, I believe that television dangerous, because it is a destructive force towards family life and community. I will explain that first, television create a sense of individualism in common. Secondly, television also restrains social skill growth, particularly in the children.
First, on the point in which television promote sense of individualism in family and community life. Communication and relationship between family member and neighbor is vital for the continuity of life, but television addiction constricts it hardly. Each family member would rather watch their own favorite TV program on certain channel rather than to talk with each other. In other word, television has become a replacement for family interaction. It is a relaxation media indeed, but somehow for parents, TV can be a way of getting away from the kids. And the kids also may think the same, to be free from their parents awhile. But for how long will they do that? An executive director of public health states that “Americans (for comparison because I did not find the data for Indonesians) watch TV the equivalent of 56 days-nonstop- per year or almost as much as 4 hours a day.” Some may say that it could be a time when the whole family watches the same TV program in an occasion, so they can chat and share. Indeed it may, but the frequency is doubted because children and parents have a different choice of TV programs that they could watch together. The children and the parents are more likely to dominate the TV for their own. Furthermore even if in some cases the family often watch TV together, it is still creating a collective individualism. Families prefer watching TV to socializing with their neighbors. Spare time can be a useful time to interact with each other in the community to share and obtain between each other. But the fact, according to the article- Warning: too much TV is Hazardous - in the April 2001 edition of Running and FitNews- “Americans spend 40% of leisure time watching TV.” It is clear that TV has taken over most of the family and community life and form a nonconformist spirit amongst the people.
Secondly, television is also hinder social skill growth, especially in children and adolescents. At their age, it should be the time for them to socialize with their peers and other people. However, as long as the TV exists in their home, children prefer watching TV to meeting people in their neighborhood. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids in the United States watch about 4 hours of TV a day, or equivalent to as much as 62 days a year. The children as a result will grow up being less able to be alone and will not learn about social interaction with real people in the real world. They will also loose their sense of solidarity and their ability communicates friendly and politely. This will result to an egoistic and ignorant young generation that if it is not fixed in time, the characteristic will be perpetuated as the generation change, thus creating a cycle of individualistic generation. Some could say that a good communication guideline may exist in TV. But in the television, not all of the contents are good, and in fact there are many violence and brutality in it. Furthermore, even if there are good examples of communicating in television, according to Neil Sutherland in his book Growing Up, “TV, by its very nature offers brief and intense forms of communication which is perhaps the exact opposite of what ideal family interaction should be.” In other words, real and tangible communication in the family and neighborhood is important for the children’s social growth. Yoyok Arseno, the manager of Gapura Seni who held a special art exhibition due to the extreme effect of television to Indonesian children stated boldly that “the children nowadays are growing as an individualist human because of the television.” So, aside of creating individualism, television also hampers the children social development.
From the facts and argumentation above, it is clear that television is a machine of great social destruction towards this global society. It is proven by the point in which firstly it produces an individualistic soul and secondly it impedes social ability growth, chiefly to the children.
First, on the point in which television promote sense of individualism in family and community life. Communication and relationship between family member and neighbor is vital for the continuity of life, but television addiction constricts it hardly. Each family member would rather watch their own favorite TV program on certain channel rather than to talk with each other. In other word, television has become a replacement for family interaction. It is a relaxation media indeed, but somehow for parents, TV can be a way of getting away from the kids. And the kids also may think the same, to be free from their parents awhile. But for how long will they do that? An executive director of public health states that “Americans (for comparison because I did not find the data for Indonesians) watch TV the equivalent of 56 days-nonstop- per year or almost as much as 4 hours a day.” Some may say that it could be a time when the whole family watches the same TV program in an occasion, so they can chat and share. Indeed it may, but the frequency is doubted because children and parents have a different choice of TV programs that they could watch together. The children and the parents are more likely to dominate the TV for their own. Furthermore even if in some cases the family often watch TV together, it is still creating a collective individualism. Families prefer watching TV to socializing with their neighbors. Spare time can be a useful time to interact with each other in the community to share and obtain between each other. But the fact, according to the article- Warning: too much TV is Hazardous - in the April 2001 edition of Running and FitNews- “Americans spend 40% of leisure time watching TV.” It is clear that TV has taken over most of the family and community life and form a nonconformist spirit amongst the people.
Secondly, television is also hinder social skill growth, especially in children and adolescents. At their age, it should be the time for them to socialize with their peers and other people. However, as long as the TV exists in their home, children prefer watching TV to meeting people in their neighborhood. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), kids in the United States watch about 4 hours of TV a day, or equivalent to as much as 62 days a year. The children as a result will grow up being less able to be alone and will not learn about social interaction with real people in the real world. They will also loose their sense of solidarity and their ability communicates friendly and politely. This will result to an egoistic and ignorant young generation that if it is not fixed in time, the characteristic will be perpetuated as the generation change, thus creating a cycle of individualistic generation. Some could say that a good communication guideline may exist in TV. But in the television, not all of the contents are good, and in fact there are many violence and brutality in it. Furthermore, even if there are good examples of communicating in television, according to Neil Sutherland in his book Growing Up, “TV, by its very nature offers brief and intense forms of communication which is perhaps the exact opposite of what ideal family interaction should be.” In other words, real and tangible communication in the family and neighborhood is important for the children’s social growth. Yoyok Arseno, the manager of Gapura Seni who held a special art exhibition due to the extreme effect of television to Indonesian children stated boldly that “the children nowadays are growing as an individualist human because of the television.” So, aside of creating individualism, television also hampers the children social development.
From the facts and argumentation above, it is clear that television is a machine of great social destruction towards this global society. It is proven by the point in which firstly it produces an individualistic soul and secondly it impedes social ability growth, chiefly to the children.
Demi Tristan Djajadi - 16107081
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