Impact of television on socialization
Of the modern day inventions I think the advent and spread of Television Channels across the globe has subtly changed the contours of social relation ship. Man is a social animal and socializing plays an important role in keeping ourselves concerned about others in neighborhood and close relations.
The good side of the spread of TV across homes globally is that they fill the information gap in seconds. Channels like Discovery and National Geographic truly enhance our knowledge, while we relax in our cozy chairs. They have effectively plugged information gap globally. Sitting in India, we watched the horror of Sep 11 when the terrorists have demolished the Twin Towers with the Civilian Planes, that wiped out the light in many lives. Seeing is thousand times more powerful than reading about an event. Like wise TV channels enable the sports lovers to watch games or matches that interest them, though they are held continents away. The share traders, who used to depend on news papers for the share movement, now can watch live action on TV channels of not only their national stock markets but global markets too.
This is the one side of the coin. The other side of the coin is that the TV channels have made social relationships less interesting compared to watching TV. I can not speak for the entire world, but I can say that in India at least, watching TV has come to occupy major slot in homes. There is less of talking among family members. Family members divide into groups and watch channels of their interest together, though they talk to each other little. The soap operas in India, with no social message attract huge following of housewives and others who have no regular jobs to do. Millions and Millions of hours are wasted in watching these TV serials that often glorify, extra martial relationships, fantasy, crime etc. The addiction is strong among many families. Then after the dusk, again prime time Serials till late night attract many viewers.
TV watching is leading to a situation where husband and wife find no time to talk about their children or fortifying their own relationship. The elders and seniors in the family too feel neglected since there is no body to talk. They too have a TV for company.
If you call on any of your close relatives or friends during the afternoon, to have a chat with them, mostly you will find them in their homes more engrossed in the TV Channels than pay attention to your visit. True, you will be welcomed and seated on a sofa, with the TV on. In the house you are visiting, on your arrival, if they greet you and switch off TV you are lucky. You feel happy that your plans to spend some time with your friends and relatives has come true in true sense. With the TV on, you tend to feel why you wasted your time in visiting them, who value TV watching as more important than your arrival there. Hence gap is widening between families and friends with close ties.
Many food items, which were for generations prepared at home with love and care are no longer prepared at home, thanks to TV. They are bought off shelf from food stores. Can the food preparations bought from market match the preparations made with love and care at home? I say no. This is another negative aspect of TV affliction.
During our child hood days, going out and playing in the evenings with friends was the order of the day. Now, children rarely move out of their homes, once they come back from schools or colleges. They sit before TV channels and watch their favourite channels. Thus, they are losing crucial interaction with the friends of their age, and the physical exercise that they get with the games that they can get. With the result you will find many a child obese and having health problems.
TV watching is leading to our living in a virtual world, though the real world is just before us awaiting our role to be played.
We should watch TV. But, we should watch TV, in such a way that it does not need to neglect of social aspect of human lives. We should limit TV watching only for the time slot when we have nothing to do and not watch TV at the cost of many things that we ought to have done. TV watching must not lead to neglect of elders, relatives, friends and neighborhood, children. TV watching must not be allowed to affect our socialization. In short as long as TV watching does not effect, socialization with warmth it is okay.
We must draw a line. How many hours we can watch and what programs. We must switch off TV when we really have others company. There is no need for TV when others are craving for attention.
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