I Love Television

I love it. Hands down. I think television is underrated, I really do. Especially cable; I didn't have cable until I was entering high school, and as much as I want to say I don't like it because it distracts me, wastes my time, rots my brain, etc., I can't get enough. I think it's because I subconsciously feel like I have to make up those first thirteen years of my life without the seventy other channels, and I really do watch too much T.V. But my parents somewhat control my sister and I in our television watching by requiring that we submit a schedule of shows we want to watch during the week--only one hour a night. Right now, I'm writing up House for Mondays, The Office for Tuesdays, (I'm going to have to make a plea for this one) Glee AND So You Think You Can Dance for Wednesdays, and undecided for Thursdays.

Anyway, I understand where people come from when they say television is unhealthy, and I agree to an extent. I think that instead of sitting and watching television, you could be doing something so much more worthwhile--get that extra practice test out and score that much higher on the ACT, or go outside and start a vegetable garden or run around the block--I get it. But on the other hand, the pleasure that television brings people, the joy of watching someone else's life being flipped upside down in "reality" or fiction just brings a euphoria (or in some cases relief) to the viewers. "They've got it worse than me, yes!" or "I totally knew that was going to happen! Yes!" or even "I totally didn't see that coming, yes!" Guiltfully, I say that I DO get that pleasure, of watching trashy VH1 shows or watching people get hurt and suffer on Survivor for my enjoyment, but that's what T.V. is for! Yes, it's manipulating, but it continues to be an escape for me; I can turn on my television and see House curing someone's incurable disease and not have to think about doing physics homework or an English blog.

And if you think about it, I've actually learned a lot from television--I've learned about the law from Law and Order, about politics (yes, actually, I have) from Family Guy, and about Lupus and the Bends from House. I may watch trashy VH1 shows but, luckily, some shows have made education entertaining enough that I don't really realize I'm learning about something in the process.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I do watch a lot of television. And I enjoy it. A lot. But that doesn't make me a lazy person or an uneducated person. Television was created to be an escape and entertainment, something to make you laugh or cry or think. I'm just saying that I'm fulfilling my t.v.'s purpose: I watch television and I'm proud to say it!