Television Affecting America's Youth

Television has never claimed to be reality and for the sake of marketing as well as entertainment, pray that it never does. Although it is a fact that many Americans spend far too long acting as mindless couch potatoes, in front of their televisions, spending time watching television is not an entirely horrible activity. While it is true that America’s youth is easily sucked into spending hours in front of the television, rather than enjoying the outdoors, there are a multitude of reasons that television can serve as a better and more accessible alternative. Consider, for example, a day of torrential downpour wherein America’s youth is stuck inside the house with little to do other than to rampage around their households wreaking havoc on their hardworking parents. Without the aid of television to distract and preoccupy their children, the parents of these children might not get the precious time that they need to maintain the upkeep of their households and continue to provide for their families. Additionally, according to statistics, around 32% of American households are considered “low income” and cannot afford to spend money on entertainment other than that which is spent on television. Lastly, many Americans reside in

Without self regulation when it comes to television consumption, as Ehrenreich stated television could become a force that can transform “the American people into root vegetables”. As obesity rates in America rise and hours spent exercising fall, there is no doubt that television is one of many culprits. However, this is only the case for Americans that spend their time doing little else besides “growing their roots” into their couches. Conjunctly, television is not the sole component in the recipe that makes up obesity, factors like genetics and diet play significant if not more influential roles than television