Posted:
How many of us get influenced by what we see on TV?
Till recently, I thought not many get really influenced by the inane serials shown on TV. But I am changing my opinion due to 2 reasons. First, the debates on this forum about what should and should not be shown on TV because it influences the public perceptibly. For instance, scenes of manhandling of women. Second and more personally, I am seeing the influence of TV on my own li'l son. He watches only cartoons. But if we see the cartoons today, they also have adult themes of romance, dating, fighting over guys/girls, being possessive of/marrying your best friend, and of course, the language (downright filthy and lowbrow).
I had light heartedly commented that we should simply stop watching what we don't like. But what if we like what we see and get influenced by it, even if it's not appropriate? Would a child or a young adult have the ability to discriminate between what to watch and not watch?
Another alternative is censorship. But, in a free country, there is really no place for this. And it can't be imposed either because what all can you censor? Someone suggested to me that I should child lock the cartoon channels. Is this a fool-proof solution? Children pick up from anywhere - TV, movies, internet, peer group, neighbourhood,...What all can you restrict? And the same goes for grown-ups, on a larger scale.
Somewhere then the responsibility of ensuring that the young and the impressionable are not corrupted by what they see on TV and outside, lies with the adults - parents, teachers, role models. We have to make the character of the young so strong that they are not influenced by the negativity around and reach out for that which is bright and positive.
What do you feel?
