Television

We are quickly moving towards a society where both work and leisure consist of staring at a screen!

Advantages of  TV: 

• Television can be educational. A striking example are documentaries, from which we obtain useful information and we broaden our horizons.
• Television constitutes a window on the world, on the grounds that if we watch the international news, we are provided with the opportunity to be informed and to keep pace with the rest of the world.
• It is an accessible, affordable (by almost everyone) and convenient means of entertainment, since there is a wide variety of programs and shows, which arouse viewers' interest.
• Television can also help people who feel lonely and alienated, that is, it can supplant the absence of friends.

Disadvantages of  TV:

• Crime and violence are frequently depicted on TV, which may lead to the psychological deviance of children, since they are more likely to display aggressive or violent behavior when they see violent acts. That happens due to the fact that sensational journalism, that is when the media opt to report heavily on attention-grabbing events, rather than on more pressing issues, dominates the world of television.
• Watching too much TV poses a threat to our health. More specifically, many health problems may arise ranging from eye problems to obesity and the couch potato syndrome.
• The lure of televised image persuades people that words count for less. Of course, TV is not just pictures, but the commentary which accompanies them is so concise that it barely scatches the surface of the issues or helps anyone to understand them. 
• TV preaches a different gospel: seeing is believing. A case in point is that television portrays idealized lives, body shapes, role models and stereotypes, so people's perception of the world is corrupted. That is, globalization becomes more intense.
• It is a fact that advertisers target women and children, who are more susceptible to buying on a whim. Therefore, consumerism is aggravated.
• Watching TV may also contribute to diverting students from studying.
• Individualism supersedes rationalism. 

My opinion:

Taking all this into consideration, there is no doubt in my mind that the advantages of television are outweighed by the disadvantages. Hence, only if we utilize TV in moderation, will we be able to reap its benefits, without undermining the power of written word.