I watch television because it is a quite convenient form of entertainment. There is a large monitor bolted to the wall that just sprays pleasure at me, and I'm rather compelled to see what it has to offer. My favorite show is without a doubt Breaking Bad; this show chronicles Bryan Cranston as a chemist who takes a crack at the meth industry when diagnosed with cancer. The engaging and surprisingly original plot, the consistently masterful directing, the shockingly beautiful cinematography, and most importantly the apparently labored-over acting by all member of the cast combine to create a long-form piece of work that rivals any other masterpiece in history. I would defend this show to any length because I truly believe that Vince Gilligan (creator, writer, director) is a truly talented artist and this his magnum opus. I enjoy other shows as well: absurdist comedies such as Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, children's (but not really children's) cartoons like Regular Show, and travel/food oriented shows such as No Reservations.
Yeah, that's what I meant by absurdist.
Does TV provide a good form of entertainment? Is it just a convenient delivery system for advertisers to send their messages to the masses? Is it an inane use of time? Can it be all three?
Yeah, that's what I meant by absurdist.
I would argue that television is a wonderful form of entertainment. Granted in many cases, it has developed into a advertisement delivery system, but this is not the fault of television as a medium. Television is merely a short form substitute for film which allows convenient access and the development of serial story-lines. In that sense, television is a very important form of media. However, it is the plague of a capitalist society such as we enjoy to have abundant advertisement. It is only logical for companies to advertise in a language that is ubiquitous to the consumer, and with the convenience and overwhelming pleasure of television, it's rise to popularity and subsequent capture by the biggest companies was imminent. This is of no fault of television; if any other form of activity were so popular, it would be the subject of the advertisers. We are a society of scapegoats, and when we are able to fixate on some concrete source of despair, we rejoice. The "smart ones" like to pat themselves on the back for their honorable relinquishment of television for something more "wholesome" like reading. However, reading ensures no active engagement, artistic merit, or true enlightenment just as television. I am a reader, as well as a television-watcher, as well as a music-listener, as well as a film-buff. I simply consume art and culture and entertainment because this is the source from which I derive stimulation and pleasure. Ultimately, I use these things as a means to provoke thought because I am so constantly in thought that it becomes imperative that I find more information. This is the way in which I am able to navigate this world of "brain-melting" entertainment with relative safety: I am deliberate. I know what I am doing, and I make my own decisions. The world must not be a place of two paths, but of infinite direction; there are not the mindless TV-watchers and the enlightened few. It becomes clear with analysis that any medium can be corrupted with terrible content, so it is each individuals job to isolate the best content available. I do not watch every television show, or read every book, or listen to every album, or watch every film because it is not correct to judge a medium based on the existence of improper uses. There is a large majority of bad television programs, but that in no way diminishes the legitimacy of the good ones. That device, invented less than a century ago by us, is not evil; we are evil to blame it for our own stupidity.
Not at all related, but a fantastic song nonetheless.
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