While reading the article Television In The Family Circle I found many things shocking but also agreed with a lot of the content. I found it most ironic and shocking when I read about how television was a way of mending the family back together after World War 2. If you think about it, nowadays a television does just the opposite. Although there is defiantly good that comes out of television, it is the reason for many social and psychological issues for children and the way in which they are growing up. It may even be the reason why kids may even disrespect their parents. If a parent tells their child to stop watching television and start their homework, a child will be upset and annoyed at their parent.
In addition, it is really fascinating how media can persuade people to believe certain things and act upon them. Advertisements began to say how “children would cultivate artistic talents by watching television,” parents began to believe that! However, later on when people started to recognize the negative effects of television, articles and advertisements for television started to say, “the television doesn’t control you, you control the television. Don’t blame the television.” But earlier on when they would advertise for television they would say things like “The television is part of the family! It can mend any family together!” I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a pretty powerful device, if it can mend a family back together and help make the post War World 2 effects better.
I don’t think I was the parent’s fault for buying televisions because they didn’t know the negative effects it would have. They just wanted their children to have a balanced and good life after the effects of War World 2. They wanted to supply them with new technologies so they would fit in and they also wanted to give them vacations and only and all the good things! The world told them that a television would do that, and so they bought one! If I were living during that time I defiantly would have done the same.
The main thing I took out from this article was how much power and control the television really does have. The advertisements weren’t lying about that. But I believe the control and power it had was a negative impact rather than a positive one that it sought to have on the world.