Week 1- Article 1: T.V.: Good for You?

Central Argument: Watching television is beneficial because it is a way to spread knowledge and education to people, especially women in rural India, who don't have access to any.

He sat in front of the television, without blinking, without speaking, without even breathing, it seemed. He was so engrossed in it that he would even respond to my father's friendly whistle as he returned from work. It was absolutely amazing to watch. What was he watching? Nothing in particular: just a Japanese cartoon dubbed in English, which he didn't even have the fundamentals of. But still, he sat and watched, and later, when I asked him who the characters were, he named them, A to Z. He knew all of it. That moment, I realized how important T.V. is, even for a four-year-old child. T.V. is a revolutionary force that not only taught children about magical creatures that can fly, but, as Joel Waldfogel says, has helped people be more educated and be aware of the things going around in the world.

Watching television can help change a woman's perspective about her place in society. For example. there is an advertisement on Indian television about a English-learning program. A housewife, probably from rural India, is doing laundry as she speaks in broken English. However, as she progresses with her story, her English and her pronunciation ameliorate so that by the end, she speaks like a native English-speaker. Although the woman portrays the role of a typical housewife  in India, the message is somewhat different. Aside from advertising purposes, the commercial is teaching young women that being  housewives does not limit their education. It is telling them that housewives can also be smart and learn English just like their spouses or children. This strong message has a positive impact on women watching this commercial, and ultimately, it can change their point of view and have a positive impact on their behavior as women.

Not only women, but children can also gain knowledge and inspiration watching television. In a novel called Little Prices, Conor Grennan wrote about his experiences as a volunteer worker in an orphanage on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. While he volunteered in the orphanage, he continued working on a book in which he wanted to write about his experiences. There is a chapter in the book where it talks about how one day, when he returns from Thamel, he finds that his computer is missing. When he goes to check on the boys at the orphanage, he finds that they are watching a Bollywood movie on his laptop. Their laughter fills his ears, and the way they mimic the cheesy scenes in the film touches his heart. While I read, I thought about how big a part electronics, computers in this case (but it can also apply to television), play in a kid's life. It can be, at certain times, a source of joy and laughter and knowledge. This shows how even children can make the most out of televisions.

Therefore, I agree with the author when says that watching television can be beneficial. It can inspire and educate women, who don't have education, about the importance of women in society today, and it can also help children gain knowledge and have fun in their everyday lives. Inventing the television was a significant growth in mankind's part.