Winn, M. (2011). Television: The Plug-In Drug. In S. Cohen, 50 Essays (pp. 438-445). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

 

 

Television Changing The Way Families Come Together

In the story “Television: The Plug-In Drug” Marie Winn explains that television has become a huge part of the family house hold lifestyle. What was once a group activity that was implied that the TV would bring the family closer together, it is actually breaking them a part. Instead of everyone in one room watching the same show, they are all in different rooms watching their own shows. The TV does not only affect relationships with in the family, but also the relationship with Social-World. When young children are developing social behaviors and they choose to learn through the television instead of through real life social interaction, this will most likely have a negative effect on the children. Watching TV is like a “one way street” for the child because he is only receiving information. Not only that, but the situations that the viewer in counter on the big screen is so simple that it makes it difficult for him or her to fully understand and handle the complex World. An example that Winn brings to mind is the story told by a first-grade teacher about a little girl in her class, who isolates herself from the rest of the class. When the little girl goes home, she will sit in front of the TV while the mom makes her dinner and then will continue to watch TV. The teacher is puzzled by this behavior asks, “Well, couldn’t she help you fix dinner? That would be a nice time for the two of you to talk.” I think what the teacher is suggesting is that if the child had more of a social connect at home then she could make a better connection at school with the other kids. This text supports my opinion on the idea that child should watch less TV and they should be more involved in school and home activities to help them to become more well-rounded individuals.