According to Steven Johnson, TV can make us smarter. He explains that some narratives force people to work to keep up with the plot and develop a cognitive exercise. Johnson uses visuals to show how shows have become more complex over the years, comparing shows such as Hill Street and All the Family to current programs like 24 and The Sopranos.
Educational Aspects
In order to follow a television show people have to engage their brains and work to understand it. Some shows like the news, CSI, and Law and Order have complex plot lines and deal with social issues that require thinking. In addition, there are a number of educational shows such as Between the Lions, Dora, and Super Readers that teach very young children how to read.
Watching TV can be a useful tool for education, especially when used with parents, who can co-view the program with their children and prompt them to ask questions about the storyline and character development. This helps to develop the ability to think and solve problems, which will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
The information on a television show also keeps people updated on day-to-day events and teaches them about different cultures and customs which they would not otherwise know. This knowledge is a crucial part of being a good citizen in today’s world.
General Knowledge Aspects
Often we watch TV shows to learn more about different occupations, lifestyles, or places. If you are interested in home renovations, for example, you may tune into HGTV to get ideas and inspiration. Alternatively, if your kid is interested in becoming a doctor you might let them watch medical shows on TV to learn more about the field.
Steven Johnson wrote an article called “Watching TV Makes Us Smarter.” In this article, he says that television can actually make us smarter because when you watch a show you are trying to understand what is happening on the screen. This requires you to pay attention, make inferences and track shifting social relationships on the show.
Dana Stevens writes an article called “Thinking Outside the Idiot Box,” which contradicts everything Johnson said about TV making you smarter. In her article she argues that watching television is not beneficial because it can lead to the wasting of time, it exposes you to violence, disturbing news, and sexually explicit content.
News Aspects
Watching worldwide news keeps us up to date with present occasions in different nations. This helps us to comprehend the issues confronting the general public and the world, however additionally can foster an expanded feeling of danger since TV reports frequently portray hazardous, vicious, or incautious practices and build up unbending sexual orientation jobs and racial generalizations. It additionally encourages reliance on TV and expands the electricity bill.
Many parents have a special bond with their kids while watching TV shows together. This is called co-viewing and can be a great way to talk about topics and share values with your children. However, it is important to keep in mind that TV is full of advertising and some shows depict sex or violence and may promote unhealthy food or alcohol.
Internalizing Knowledge Aspects
In a way similar to how reading expands one’s cognitive thinking, watching TV has the ability to do the same. From a general knowledge perspective, the amount of information that is available through various television shows ranging from documentaries to reality television shows is enormous and allows for an individual to gain an in-depth understanding of a wide variety of different topics. For example, if a show portrays a city with high crime rates this is likely to make an individual think twice about living there which will ultimately lead to them making smarter choices in the future.
Unfortunately, a lot of people waste their time sitting in front of the TV without any thought at all. This is largely due to the fact that they watch a lot of pointless programs which only expose them to violence, disturbing news, and sexually explicit content. However, the right television shows that deal with everyday social issues and change scenes frequently are actually beneficial to one’s intelligence.
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