my daughter holds that watching television doesn't make you stupid, (but it doesn't do much to make you any smarter)
watching television makes you normal. television is an artifact of our society.
not watching (and for a short while i didn't have a TV, and for a much longer while (years!) my son and family didn't have a TV)--DD worried his kids wouldn't be normal.
DD is proud owner of a 32 inch screen tv, and regrets now she didn't buy a thin screen--she doesn't schedule her life round the TV, but she is aware of its cultural 'value'.
TV shows serve as common denominators--they give you something to talk about at work, (sex, religion and politics are not acceptable!) and its cheaper, and easier than drinking yourself into oblivion.
there isn't much much value to many TV shows, but a good deal of live theater is silly (disney!) musicals, and really how much social value is there in that sort of theater?(yes, there is theater that has social value, but beauty and beast ain't it!)
an opera's today require some effort, but when italians were watching italian opera, well the stories are no better than soap operas--albeit they are shorter.
yet so many hold theater (in general) and opera (in general) to be 'superior' arts than anything available on television.
Yes, TV is a vast wasteland --with only a few redeeming shows--but well, so is a good deal of theater!
there is good stuff out there, and i love live theater, but i think i agree with Bel, many people have a sort of moral superiority about not watching TV. (and their smugness is annoying.
(i don't think any one here has been smug, or smarmy about tv watching or not watching tv)
