The other hand,there is such a thing as

The other hand,there is such a thing as

The TV GenerationEveryone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. Itis the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, andafterward when you say to this person “the world today” or “life” or “reality”he will assume that you mean this moment, even if it is fifty years in the past.My generation is greatly influenced by the media, specificallytelevision.

Television becomes my reality by bringing into my life thehappenings of the outside world. Our generation is often called the MTVgeneration. We are often stereotyped with the idea that all we do is sit aroundand watch TV.

Sure, we probably do watch more television than our parents didas teenagers but we have to remember, TV was generally new to their generation.They only had a couple of channels to choose from while we sit in front of atelevision with 53 channels and a remote to control them with. We have theoption to decide upon everything from The Disney Channel to VH1, The FamilyChannel to Fox. That box in our bedroom or family room is a very controlling yetentertaining appliance. Teenagers have always been free-spirited in anygeneration. We are always doing and saying childish things while trying to growup. If we only have a couple years of our childhood left then who cares if wespend it in front of a TV? Which is not to say that we do that anyhow.

Perhapswe use the TV as a way of relaxing before we go off and hit the books for twohours. Or maybe we use it to spend time with our family. I mean, come on, howmany teenagers enjoy going on family outings with mom, dad, and kid brother?However, if the TV can gather everyone together on a Sunday afternoon to watchthe “Packers” game then shouldn’t mom and dad be happy? On the other hand,there is such a thing as bad TV. Sex and violence is plastered all over ourbrains with a flick of a switch and I tend to believe that this influencesteenagers, or for that matter, anyone who watches it. But then again, we cannot say all TV is evil. MTV has set up several programs to educate teens onsensitive subjects and has begun to censor certain videos and shows.

Parentsoften say to their teens, “If you watch too much TV you’ll fry you brains out.”Yeah, right mom! As if we’re going to believe that. If anything we’re going tolearn something new. Like how to make a seven layer cheese cake from MarthaStewart or how to fix a squeaky hinge on a medicine cabinet from Bob Villa.

Ihave to admit though, Americans probably watch more TV than any other country.European countries only have a couple of channels to select from. Still, thisis America. Freedom was born here so that gives us the freedom to choosebetween National Geographic on TBS or ESPN Sportsnet.

It is this special America, a very untypical one I guess, an unfamiliartransitional blur in the memories of most people, which is the real America forme.