The TV Generation

Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. It
is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and
afterward 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, specifically
television. Television becomes my reality by bringing into my life the
happenings of the outside world. Our generation is often called the MTV
generation. We are often stereotyped with the idea that all we do is sit around
and watch TV. Sure, we probably do watch more television than our parents did
as 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 a
television with 53 channels and a remote to control them with. We have the
option to decide upon everything from The Disney Channel to VH1, The Family
Channel to Fox. That box in our bedroom or family room is a very controlling yet
entertaining appliance. Teenagers have always been free-spirited in any
generation. We are always doing and saying childish things while trying to grow
up. If we only have a couple years of our childhood left then who cares if we
spend it in front of a TV? Which is not to say that we do that anyhow. Perhaps
we use the TV as a way of relaxing before we go off and hit the books for two
hours. Or maybe we use it to spend time with our family. I mean, come on, how
many 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 watch
the "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 our
brains with a flick of a switch and I tend to believe that this influences
teenagers, or for that matter, anyone who watches it. But then again, we can
not say all TV is evil. MTV has set up several programs to educate teens on
sensitive subjects and has begun to censor certain videos and shows. Parents
often 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 to
learn something new. Like how to make a seven layer cheese cake from Martha
Stewart or how to fix a squeaky hinge on a medicine cabinet from Bob Villa. I
have to admit though, Americans probably watch more TV than any other country.
European countries only have a couple of channels to select from. Still, this
is America. Freedom was born here so that gives us the freedom to choose
between National Geographic on TBS or ESPN Sportsnet.
It is this special America, a very untypical one I guess, an unfamiliar
transitional blur in the memories of most people, which is the real America for
me.