Comments on: Awakening from our Hangover http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/05/08/awakening-from-our-hangover/ Everyone has a right to my opinions Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:05:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Clarice http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/05/08/awakening-from-our-hangover/#comment-133188 Clarice Fri, 09 May 2008 16:44:28 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/?p=707#comment-133188 Ooh, and let's not mention what it's done for sex and violence. Ooh, and let’s not mention what it’s done for sex and violence.

]]> By: Clarice http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/05/08/awakening-from-our-hangover/#comment-133187 Clarice Fri, 09 May 2008 16:43:54 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/?p=707#comment-133187 Matt has a point, but TV-watching is also a very passive activity (not good in big doses), and in its constant quest for visual novelty, it actually reduces one's powers of concentration. On top of this, because of how the mind works, it is also very prescriptive, and its influence on things like creativity, democracy, philosophy and social justice is not what one could really call benign. Informative and educational kind of count as the same thing though, Matt, and even though TV <i>can</i> be those things, I would say that while it poses as both, it is mostly a hollow promise at best, and at worst, it is downright dishonest. I've been on it, so I know. Where it's true that tv provides a frame of reference for debate, that would be ok if it took the responsibilities that go with that kind of power seriously, and it would be ok if the people in charge of output were elected. But they are not, they are in thrall to the ratings game. Matt has a point, but TV-watching is also a very passive activity (not good in big doses), and in its constant quest for visual novelty, it actually reduces one’s powers of concentration. On top of this, because of how the mind works, it is also very prescriptive, and its influence on things like creativity, democracy, philosophy and social justice is not what one could really call benign.

Informative and educational kind of count as the same thing though, Matt, and even though TV can be those things, I would say that while it poses as both, it is mostly a hollow promise at best, and at worst, it is downright dishonest. I’ve been on it, so I know. Where it’s true that tv provides a frame of reference for debate, that would be ok if it took the responsibilities that go with that kind of power seriously, and it would be ok if the people in charge of output were elected. But they are not, they are in thrall to the ratings game.

]]> By: Robert http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/05/08/awakening-from-our-hangover/#comment-133182 Robert Fri, 09 May 2008 12:15:52 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/?p=707#comment-133182 Indeed. Shirky specifically singles out sitcoms, which presumably have less value in congnitive terms than, say, David Attenborough or Alan Yentob... Indeed. Shirky specifically singles out sitcoms, which presumably have less value in congnitive terms than, say, David Attenborough or Alan Yentob…

]]> By: Matt Munro http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2008/05/08/awakening-from-our-hangover/#comment-133181 Matt Munro Fri, 09 May 2008 12:13:36 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/?p=707#comment-133181 Is watching TV always a waste of time though, depending on what you watch it can be informative, educational, or make you laugh, all things that are beneficial in cognitive terms. TV often provides the subject matter, or the frame of reference, for dialogue about wider issues. Is watching TV always a waste of time though, depending on what you watch it can be informative, educational, or make you laugh, all things that are beneficial in cognitive terms. TV often provides the subject matter, or the frame of reference, for dialogue about wider issues.

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