May 6, 2004 - Surprise! A study done says that television can affect the mental development of children. I've been saying this for years. The social and developmental consequences are often documented but it seems nothing is being done about it; and let me tell you it's not the TV studios or cable companies who are at fault. I'm no scientist but I firmly believe that today's ADD problems, which didn't seem to exist when there was less TV, more parenting, and teachers were empowered to discipline the miscreants, can be partially attributed to the social entitlements that TV portrays. Now there appears to be proof it putrefies the brain as well as the mind.

It's ironic that this article mentions that TV at a young age overstimulates the brain. Again, this appears to be a biological effect. TV may overstimulate the brain but it understimulates the mind. A good book or a challenging game will get the mind going like no TV program can. Another thing that amazes me is the time spent watching television by some of these kids. Three or four hours a day is way too much; especially with the junk on TV nowadays. I must confess I haven't seen too many of today's cartoons and other shows geared for children. However, what I have seen that it's all garbage with many subtle and not so subtle attempts at branding at a young age. Plus, these shows all have the associated toys, video games, clothing, and so on, and are designed to make kids pester their parent(s) to buy them.

Of course, the shows aimed at adults are awful too. Many adults, who generally become parents, set the example that it's ok to schedule your life around the TV. One of these popular shows is all over the news because the final episode is upon us. The fuss being made over it make one wonder where society's priorities are. You have six people who don't seem to work yet have a spacious 1,900 square foot apartment in the middle of Manhattan. What this shows us is that, even if you don't work, you are entitled to live in luxury. One part of an episode I saw (I've never seen a complete show and only know what I know from seeing it when others are watching it) one of characters in that show thinks about changing his stage name to Josef Stalin - he obviously doesn't know who Stalin was - shows us that stupidity can be funny. Sure, acting stupid can be funny but, in real life, you can't laugh at the stupid and the ignorant without being called insensitive. Another ironic part of that gag is that I wonder how many people watching the show didn't get it - let alone be able to explain why Stalin was one of the most influential people of the 20th Century.

One thing I always believed is that kids who are smart aren't affected as much by the junk on TV. Intelligence is more important than age. I see warnings that the show Jackass, for example, should not be viewed by anyone under 18. Age isn't as important as intelligence when it comes to television . A 12 year old with an IQ of 120 watching Jackass is less dangerous, to himself and others, than a twenty-five year with an IQ of 86 or a person who has been socially promoted through school and now can't read or write above a sixth grade level.

This excessive TV watching can be partially attributed to the breakdown of the family. Kids are being raised by a single parent and, thus, are often propped in front of a TV for a large part of the day. The TV has become a babysitter. A television is no substitute for a parent.

Our daughter has had very little exposure to TV. She doesn't watch anything and it is NEVER an option when we want to do something. When the TV is on - for me it's news, sports, the History Channel, or Jeopardy! - it's usually a side activity and never a central one. I often read while the TV is on and I rarely turn it on during the day. Julia doesn't watch any cartoons or shows aimed for kids - not even Sesame Street. We don't have any videos that we prop her up in front of. When she was younger than two we would turn the TV off if we noticed she was paying attention to it. We spend our days reading and playing - no TV at all. More parents should do the same.

Here's a link to the story:

Attention Deficits Linked to Television