Thursday, August 1, 2013
Television Attacks Literacy
After reading Amusing Ourselves to Death, I finally realized that television I has committed murder. That is Murder of the brain. How many children do you know today that are willing to pick up a book and read it while there is a television set within their reach? Every little child I know wants to watch TV and not read books. In fact, books have become a punishment for most of today’s children, especially here in America. I know that before, children used to read books for fun, but now with all of the distractions caused by television, they absolutely refuse to read books. Those of us that do read books read from a screen of some sort. It is like our brains have been programmed to look at screens. Whether it is a cell phone, a television set, or a computer, we are always looking at a screen.
Instead of teaching their children how to read, parents put their small children in front of a television set to watch programs like Sesame Street and Super Reader. They believe that somehow their children are going to magically learn how to read and write by watching those shows. These shows are designed to help children perfect their reading, not teach them.
Nowadays, we type everything, then click spell check to check our spelling. There are words that some high school students don’t know how to spell or pronounce; words that sixth graders should know. We should step away from the screens more often and turn our minds back to the books. As sad as it may be, America is heading toward lower literacy rates.
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It looks like Einstein's prediction of stupidity in a society focused on technology has come true. Only a small margin of people can just read books, but most of the world just watch TV instead of books. Even TV shows are based of books, so reading a book ignored since a TV version is out. It may seem pleasant since everything you've read is now acted out by actors, but sometimes episodes are modified in order to make it unique from its original sources, thus making the magic of the show just seem a little dull. For example, I read Sherlock Holmes, but the TV shows based on it are just as pleasing, but not really magical as seen in books.
ReplyDeleteSadly, this is true. Thanks to technology, we have great programs such as Nook, Kindle, and Google Play. You'd think that with this plethora of online books, not to mention free books and blogs, people would be reading more than ever. Wrong. The few who genuinely enjoy reading take advantages of such online resources, but even those who once spent their down-time reading now spend it playing Assassin's creed. Internet, video games, and television are all different forms of media, just like reading. But what substance comes from it goes down to what Postman was getting at from the beginning: these new medias (specifically television) cannot produce the same depth and meaning that the print age held.
ReplyDeleteNot only is television helping to lower literacy rates, but it's also making people lazier. Since they're able to watch TV and not put any effort into reading anything for entertainment or using their imagination, why should they go through the effort to read a book? Many don't seem to realize the wonder and power within books. The right book or series could be better than any television show or movie. It also makes people less creative, part of the fun of reading a book is creating your own look/voice for the characters (where some details were left out), but once they appear in TV, there's no need to do that, it must be accepted that is who they are. Of course, I myself am guilty of watching TV or browsing the internet instead of reading a book every so often, but I find it sad when many people consider reading books as punishment or something unpleasant.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has been taking over society. But personally, I know scholars and literates that still pick up a book and read. People choose to carry around nook and iPads because it is more convenient. Have you ever heard the excuse that a book is too heavy and that I can just save the book on PDF to read it at school? It's a lifestyle that many of us has chosen. Not saying we can't go back, but we can definitely take a step back from that reality and just ponder over the old times. Things have become advanced for a reason, people do have intentions, and we cannot say that all these technologies have caused a setback because without some of these tools, we would not have been able to succeed.
ReplyDeleteI actually do still read books. Not everyone has all gone towards technology. I am a reader, I always have been and I always will be. When school is open I am in the library a lot; checking out new books from one of my favorite series (TMI) or reading a new book. It is completely voluntary and I enjoy reading. There are many people in my classes that actually hated reading and thought I was "weird" for reading for fun. Well I think it's weird how you find it almost improbable to sit down and read a book. Just because technology has changed most of society, it doesn't mean all is lost.
ReplyDelete*And yes, I have a kindle. But if you look at it, I have bought more books than anything. The only game I really have is Unblock Me and I rarely play it. I mainly use it for its sole purpose, reading books. I usually only read the books on there if I don't already have a book from the library or if I'm on reservation for one.
I agree with you. Teenagers and children are hesitant and less-likely to read books because we're apart of a consumer culture that gratifies doing things that are exciting, pleasurable and stimulating. Novels don't include pictures, violence, sex, drugs, or mind-numbing music, and so they have been pushed into the periphery of American culture. Think of all the television programs aimed at teens that describe what teenage life in America is (or should be) like. Gossip Girl, Skins, Pretty Little Liars, 90210, and who could forget The Secret Life of the American Teenager? The "teens" in these programs are hardly scholarly. They ditch school frequently, never do (and never seem to have) homework, and honestly, can anyone name a time when one of these kids has been seen reading? American pop culture gratifies the importance of looks over intellect, talent over work ethic, and fashion over literacy.
ReplyDeleteIs it really surprising to us that only 15% of US inmates are literate? Or that 50% of US adults can't even read an 8th grade level book? Or that 80% of US families haven't bought a single book in the past year, while 70% haven't been in a book store in the past 5 years?
If you were to look up the reading for pleasure statistics and you could see how American literacy is rapidly declining every year, even for college graduates.