The Plug-In Drug: Television And Family Life Analysis

In today's society the human existence has simply relied on the usage of entertainment for survival. Entertainment is seen a necessary component of everyday life that helps individuals get through their day. However it has become increasingly apparent that entertainment is not beneficial to society. It has served as an addictive drug encapsulating its users from a young age. Also it has cause increased sleep deprivation in many individuals who participate in these activities. Furthermore, it has caused extreme dissatisfaction for consumers by raising one's expectations for what life has to offer too high for reality to compete. Thus, entertainment in the form of advertisement, gaming, media and electronics negatively affects the individual
This idea is prevalent in the field of television. Television provides individuals with an experience that can be closely associated with addiction. In her piece, “The Plug-In Drug: Television, Computers, and Family Life”, Marie Winn states, “It is, in fact, the parents whom television is an irresistible narcotic, not through their own viewing (although frequently this, too, is the case) but at a remove, through their children fanned out in front of the receiver, strangely quiet.” This reveals that parents use television to pacify their children for their own benefit. Television’s addictive qualities allows parents a chance to obtain peace of mind that is not provided in their regular life. However, this activity robs the children of actual life experiences. Winn also states, “It is easy to overlook a deceptively simple fact: one is always watching television rather than having any other experience”. This indicates that as humans participate in watching television they are not participating in any other activity. This means that while a child can be using valuable time learning how to ride a bike outside, they may be locked into a television show that stops them from doing anything else. Television is a ‘one way transaction’ that allows a human to be checked in but still remain inactive. Furthermore, Marie Winn writes, “ There is indeed, no other experience in a child’s life that permits quite so much intake while demanding so
For example in the field of music one might say hip hop creates an interesting experience that strengthens an entire culture. In “Hip Hop Planet”, James McBride states, “This defiant culture of song, graffiti, and dance, collectively known as hip-hop has ripped popular music from its moorings in every society so it has permeated”. This reveals that hip hop may have created a culture that has prevailed over many other music forms. One would argue that this form of music may be beneficial to the development of world connection and culture. However, hip hop has been accused of causing violence around the world. According to Hip Hop Planet, “In France it has been blamed, unfairly, for the worst civil unrest that country has seen in decades”. This scenario has happened in many places throughout history. For example NWA’s creation of rioting toward police. This hip hop does create culture but this culture may be violent and