Journal Entry on August 29, 1997

It is hard to believe that not even half a century has passed since the

invention of television in the 1950’s. In a period of 47 years, the purpose

of television has changed so drastically that only few can remember its primal

meaning. The creation of television intended to provide a better education for

the ones who could afford it. It was believed that television could provide

with an unique form of education. It would bring the reality of other worlds

to our homes. People would be able to “visit” other countries by looking at

images that were much more entertaining than book pictures. Television would

bring closer persons from all over the world. One would be able to know the

current events of a far land. However, not even ten years after its

discovery, television began to be used more as a “profit machine” than as an

educational tool. The people involved in the business of television began to

realize that they could use television to influence people into spending

money. Year after year, television gradually lost its original meaning.

Today, when one turns on the TV, only very few programs are real and

educational. What has happened throughout these 47 years of television that

caused this dramatic change in its purpose? Is this change due to the

evolution of the generations after the 1950’s, or was the change in the

meaning of television what caused the following generations to change

drastically? I have thought about these questions even before I registered

for this class. I do not think one can find the right answers to these

questions. There is no way of proofing or disproofing them. I hope that by

the end of this semester I will be able to form a more concrete opinion about

these concerns.

Ever since I was a child, I have always had a disgust for television. As I

grew up, my feeling aggravated each time more. I noted over the years how much

television suppressed and reshaped people’s minds unabling them to just be

themselves. I will develop this idea further in my journal.