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Than Doan Jamie McBeth-Smith English 1010-009 09/24/2013

Bad or Good Television

According to (Television History) by Mary Bellis, television was developed in 1907 by English inventor A.A Campbell Swinton and Russian scientist Boris Rosing. Since the time, television has been spreading out and becoming a commonplace technology in individual family house. Therefore, it has a lot of discussions and problems about how television impacts to our behaviors and our minds. Television is an entertaining channel box which is containing sports, films, news, educations and religions. Also, we can see abundant of programming such as game shows, cartoons, advertizing and violence TV shows. Television might have a good and negative affects to viewers, especially children who spent a lot of time to watch TV and that becomes a bad habit. In the article (An Argument against Television for Children) by Seth Mullins and according to the American Academy of Pediatrics; I agree that Media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. And in my own view is what kids see on television is what might impact on their behaviors and their minds. In Seth Mullins article, he stated the problem of young children who watch television without parent or supervision, mean that child viewer is vulnerable to allow bad thing to their mind when they see worst stuff on television. Also, he believes that Television can make children dumb and down by substituting its images for their own inner ones and lulling, their senses to sleep. On

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television programs, children just see images and sounds that might make them lose sense of all things around them, such as their relationships, environments and their communities. Moreover, he wants to remind us is watching too much television will make kids passivity or being lazy. And he suggests that instead of watching television, children can participate into their environments by encouraging hobbies like do some fun activities, drawing, painting, or handwork. It will engage all of their senses and make them open minds. In my own view, however, television has 2 sides of influences on kids. TV can make them relax, learning and gain information; on the other side is they spent a lot of times to watch game shows or cartoons, it might impact on their behaviors and their minds if we see a lot of stuff, for instance, violent TV shows, boxing, gangs, murdered, etc. Kids are easy to be influenced by watch television because they like to repeat all actions, behaviors and words from TV and characters in cartoons or movies. Furthermore, I agree with Seth Mullins idea to make kids get away from TV, he said The more we can curb our kids TV watching time and replace it with active and/or creative play the more their imaginations, reasoning abilities and spontaneity will flourish. If we want our kids to be good, instead of let kids seating at one place and staring at TV, make them active and exercise or do something, so they can involve to their communities and explore the world.

Moreover, in my other research of American Academy of Pediatrics (Children, Adolescents, and Television) also state that Television violence to have a negative effect on the academic performance, sexuality, body concepts, and self-images of young viewers, which can lead to violent or aggressive behavior and substance abuse. Just like Seth Mullins, television violence can impact to children because they dont know what is right or wrong. Violence shows might influence to young adult, implying to teenagers who is easy to motivate by fighting and abuse. It is true The

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American Academy of Pediatrics claims that Fear of being the victim of violence is a strong motivation for some young people to carry a weapon, to be more aggressive. Im of two minds about how television influences on kids. On the one hand, TV might have a negative impact on our children. And on the other hand, I think watching TV can help kid learning, opening minds and see the world. According to Carey Bryson (TV Can Be Good for Kids). It argues that Television can help kids learn about variety of subjects and it can inspire kids to try new activities and new things. I also endorse with Careys article that television has education programs which can help kids learn, listen and read. Expert said that children are the fastest learners, it is correct because in my own view I think children has innocent mind, kids are easy to gain and accept new things. For example, my sister in law, she about 3 years old, she likes to watch cartoon on education program which is teach kids how to read, spell and learn vocabulary. After watching that show a long time, she can repeat the vocabularies, and apply them when she is talking with me. Television has a lot of good things that can help kids learn, apply new things and gain knowledges. My view, however, television is a tool that children can use to watch or to learn. But depend on parents how to teach their children, all kids are so smart, they easy to allow new things in their minds; they are effortless to change their minds and behaviors. If parents control children to watch television and allow good stuffs to put in their minds, we can develop good skills and bring out all the best things inside our kids.

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References: _ Marry Bellis (Television History). Available on http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/Television.htm _ Seth Mullins (An Argument against Television for Children). Available on http://articles.familylobby.com/287-An-Argument-against-Television-for-Children.htm _ American Academy of Pediatrics (Children, Adolescents, and Television and Media Violence) _ Nicole Adams (How Watching Violence on TV Affect Kids) Available on http://www.livestrong.com/article/221006-how-tv-violence-affects-kids/ _Carey Bryson (TV Can Be Good for Kids) Available on http://kidstvmovies.about.com/od/healthytvhabits/a/tvgoodforkids.htm