Info about Television
The Dangers of Watching Television
Since it was invented and introduced in 1927, television has been a worldwide phenomenon and main source of entertainment in millions of households across the globe. The majority of children and adults watch hours of television every week and have at least one television in their home. While it can be great for entertaining your family, keeping up-to-date on current events, and watching educational programming, it can also be a danger and have negative consequences on people of all ages when watched too frequently or depended on too much.
For years, scientists and researchers have been researching the possible negative effects of watching television, especially with how often people watch it nowadays. It has been noted that individuals who watch it frequently, such as several hours a day, will eventually develop a short attention span, impatience and a weakened imagination. This is due mainly to the fact that television provides an instance response of entertainment, thus giving avid TV-watchers a way to have what they want quickly. Over time, they learn to appreciate the speed in which they can watch a variety of television programs, and begin to get impatient in other areas of their lives that are not so instant. This lack of instant gratification can lead to irritability and dependency on watching television.
Scientists have also surmised that watching television affects the brain, such as Herbert Krugman that noticed television was numbing the left side of the brain and forcing the right said of the brain to perform all of the intellectual duties. However, the left side of the brain is what does most of the intellectual thinking; therefore the brain is having more of an emotional response rather than intellectual when dependent on the right side of the brain.
Watching television has also helped children and adults develop unhealthy living habits that can affect their health and even shorten their life. People who watch more than two hours of television a night typically have a lower level of physical activity and poor diet habits, as they tend to eat meals in front of the TV. Poor diet and lack of exercise ultimately lead to obesity and obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, diabetes and the risk of heart disease. There is also a notable decrease in educational programs being watched on television, which is affecting the intelligence and critical thinking of children and adults alike. These unhealthy habits are affecting every aspect of people’s lives without realizing it.
One of the biggest concerns in television watching is when babies and young children begin watching TV very early on. If they are watching primarily educational television programs for a short period of time, it is not a danger to them. But when they depend on the television to be entertained rather than watching cartoons or shows that teach them important lessons, or are not spending as much time playing outside and getting exercise or reading books, it is severely impacting their lives. Not to mention a child who watched television is much more likely to develop unhealthy habits that last throughout adulthood.