Television has too great an influence on life today. What are your views?
Television has developed rapidly over the previous few decades and over 99% of all households in Singapore have at least one set. Due to this widespread development, television has impacted on lives both positively and negatively, and it is up to the individual to filter the pool of information provided, and to choose what is best for his own physical and mental health.
The functions of television are numerous and improve our life by making it more convenient and comfortable, thus replacing other media forms. For example, recent companies like Samsung has developed televisions with High Definition and 3-Dimension available, and also boosts functions like the Internet and radio, and plays movies and music. Television now is no longer just an avenue from which to gather knowledge, news and entertainment, but is now a multifunctional equipment that we cannot do without. Though some might say that 3rd Generation phones like the iPhone might be more accessible than the television, I would like to argue that televisions have wider screens, and doubt reduces the stress on our eyes, allowing us to enjoy the programmes in comfort. Thus, televisions have revolutionised our lives by making it more convenient and comfortable.
Although its functions are numerous, television has an adverse role on its viewers. For example, violence, gore, eroticism and horror are present in television programmes, especially movies which are shown on television like, The Human Centipede, which is shown in the United States, have a negative impact on the audience. One can potentially imitate what is shown in the programmes and cause harm to oneself and those around him. These people would be the “puppets of modern television”, the atrocities committed would be unimaginable. Though such themes are present in television programmes today, as long as one is able to distinguish what is right from wrong, and watch the shows merely for self-fulfilment or pleasure, television has no direct harm to its viewers.
For some people, their lives revolve around the television to the extent that it affects them both physically and mentally in a negative way. Research and experiments have shown that people who spend their time watching television for hours, has increased chances of having cardiovascular diseases and obesity. For example, a person who watches 4 or more hours of television has increased his chances of death from cardiovascular diseases by 80%, and his chances of getting cancer is increased by 9%. Also, watching television for hours at end increases the chances of myopia, as proper eye care habits are not observed. Therefore, it is up to the individual to control one’s watching habits and not let television take up too much of one’s life to the extent that one suffers as a result.
The development of television today is rapid and ever-changing to meet the needs of its consumers. Though television poses certain risks to its viewers, one should filter the information provided in the programmes. The invention and development of the television has revolutionised our world and our lives, and is an invention that one cannot do without today.
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