Debate on 'Television enhances our experience of the world'
Answers
There is so much of hue and cry and ambiguity related to television's influence on our perception about the world around us. I strongly believe this colourful box does not enhance it. I am of the opinion that it distorts our experience of the world.
The different channels air different types of programmes; these program impact our perception so much that we often fail to see the reality. For example in certain movies we see impossible things happening, and the protagonist performing stunts that are impossible to be performed in real life. There has been news of fatalities of certain young men who while trying to imitate the stunts of movies lost their lives. Is this enhancing of experience?
Second example I would like to give is of advertisements. Televisions air a whole range of advertisements of different products: For instance, the weight loss products in the market. People spend huge amount of money expecting the miracle. But in spite of prolonged consumption, these products fail to reduce a centimeter of their flab! Is it enhancement of our experience?
Actually television is a tool in the hands of the rich and powerful people to form public opinion. Before elections, many political parties try to use the influence of television in their favour; news channels too bombard targeted information on the minds of the viewers; these news are just a lopsided presentation of the reality. For example the same event or incident is presented in two different styles and tones by two different channels. For example a terrorist attack in India is presented as freedom struggle in a Pakistani channel; the same news is something different in an Indian channel. So I disagree with my knowledgeable friends who hold television enhances our experience.