This week is the 8th Annual TV-Turnoff Week..
While I understand the reasoning behind this and agree that the statistics linking excessive TV viewing to poor health, family relations, grades and social skills I don't think that turning your TV off -cold - is the answer.
Television is part of our national language - it's an integral part of our cultural literacy. Sure 90 percent of the stuff on TV is crap but in addition to the other 10 percent being not crap, I think it's important to keep up with what we as a nation are interested in. When I was in college I took a popular culture class where the teacher made us watch “Home Improvement” because it was the number one-rated show at the time. At first I found the idea appalling but then I came to understand the importance of seeing this show at least once - and the importance of trying to understand why it was so popular. What about it reflected our nation's values, desires and needs?
That said there is also just some flat-out great entertainment out there. I’m sorry, while I would be the first person to tell you to turn off your set and read a book I’m also not going to miss “The Gilmore Girls”, “The Osbournes”, “Six Feet Under” or “Survivor”.
Instead of attacking television in such a reactionary fashion we should embrace the good things it has to offer and either ignore or get rid of the bad. Write letters to the networks. Write letters to the editors.
Don’t let your life revolve around TV – watch shows with an open, critical mind and use your VCR wisely – but don’t let your life be ruled by conventional, conservative-in-liberal-clothing activists either.