Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!unh!psc90!pyr280
From: pyr280@psc90.UUCP (Michael McNamara)
Newsgroups: sci.psychology
Subject: Re: Living in the 20th C
Message-ID: <208@psc90.UUCP>
Date: 6 Mar 88 08:45:55 GMT
References: <1880@phoenix.Princeton.EDU> <1887@physics.UUCP> <9266@ism780c.UUCP>
Reply-To: pyr280@psc90.UUCP (Michael McNamara)
Lines: 49

In article <9266@ism780c.UUCP> jimh@ism780c.UUCP (Jim Hori) writes:
>In article <1887@physics.UUCP> greg@physics.UUCP (Greg Tusar) writes:
>>I too have noticed quite the same phenomena. Much to my own distress, I find that
>>I would rather watch the news on TV than actually sit down and read the paper. 
>>People tend to look for the more 'accessible', for lack of a better work, way of
>>obtaining information. It is yet another indication of the intellectual and cultural
>>decline of America - this kind of fast food approach to everything...
>>
>>-greg
>>
>
>That's why politicians are judged worthy of coverage
>based on their ability to provide 'sound bites' - i.e.
>short, catchy phrases - with content a neutral factor.
>
>About your attention span problems with TV info versus
>print media - my serious suggestion would be to get
>rid of the TV.
>
>
>jimh@ism780c.UUCP
>awopbopaloobop
>alopbamboom
>
>
>
>...............................................................


	I don't know if I agree with you completely about throwing out
 one's telivision set if it isn't providing him/her with enough in-
 formation on items of importance.  I belive that TV should be used simply
 as another reference source that provides the individual with a brief
 synopsis of thousands of subjects daily.  If there is a topic that is 
 presented either in a news program, on public television, or on a special
 focus show (48hrs, Nightline, etc.) that does interest a person, what's
 preventing him from getting off his duff and looking for newspapers, books
 or periodicals that will provide more information!
	We are all mature adults here (I believe), and I for one, will not
 allow just one media to provide me with all the information that I need.
 Let's face it, the problem here is not TV.  I believe that the problem 
 resides in the apathy of the individual.  If one really wants to under-
 stand an issue, then he must take the responsibility to find the infor-
 mation himself.  When TV becomes the only source availailable, then it
 will have to present *all* of the facts surrounding an issue; until then
 I suggest that we stop fooling ourselves into thinking that the networks
 are accountable for our educations.  We only have ourselves to blame.

                                   Mike McNamara