How Has Television Impacted Society?
Television has impacted society by changing the way families spend their leisure time, by limiting the time people have for social interactions and by influencing the norms and values of society in both negative and positive ways. In modern society, there are more televisions in the average home than there are people. And this does not include other electronic devices upon which television shows and programming can be watched.
Recent discussions have blamed the increase in violence seen in society on television and violent programs, according to the Guardian. Some studies have shown that violent shows have an impact on behavior and can desensitize people to violence. This is especially true of young children who watch a great deal of violent shows. The Guardian cautions that exposing children to television at a young age may cause them to have a short attention span.
Television has also been linked to the obesity epidemic in America, according to the website HowStuffWorks. Not only are children and adults moving less and spending more time in front of the TV, they tend to snack more while watching their favorite shows. Many commercials are also geared toward unhealthy junk foods, which may lead to indulging in unhealthy snacks.
