A Class of Writing 3 EFFECTS OF WATCHING TOO MUCH TV

Faridatuzzulfa (932201213)

A Class of Writing 3

EFFECTS OF WATCHING TOO MUCH TV

Discoveries and invention of devices are always welcome till we, humans, find a way to abuse its benefits and be adversely affected by it. This was the case when Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x-ray and within five years, the British Army was using a mobile x-ray unit to locate bullets and shrapnel in wounded soldiers in the Sudan. TV was also invented with positive thoughts in mind there would be no national borders, education and communication would be worldwide, etc. However, we are now trying to overcome its physiological and psychological adverse effects on human beings.

One of the physiological effects of watching TV in excessive amounts is eye-strain. It is true that there are specifications for watching TV; TV should be 5 m. away from the eye, the room should be adequately lit, TV should be placed at the same height with our eyes, etc. However, these do not prevent our eyes from getting tired if we keep watching TV for a long time. Another effect is obesity, which is widely observed in people who like watching TV and eating snacks everyday (there is even a term “TV snacks” to refer to fast food that is suitable for eating in front of the TV). TV is such a powerful machine that people cannot get away from it – it is addictive. 

Apart from the physiological effects, TV also causes psychological effects. One is a result of being exposed to violence. After seeing so many violent scenes on TV, people start considering violent actions normal and they lose their sensitivity to their environment. Partly connected to this effect, the interpersonal communication among people decreases. Being insensitive to the suffering of other people causes people to become alienated. Also, after coming home from work people seek to relax in front of the TV, and generally people prefer watching TV to talking to each other. This issue is very important since lack of interpersonal relationships mostly end with divorces. 

Shortly, inventions are meant to be beneficial for human beings, if we know how to benefit from them. TV is one of such inventions that need to be used for the right purpose only – being educated and entertained for a reasonable (according to age) period of time. We may, then, be safe from or at least reduce the adverse physiological and psychological effects of watching too much TV. 

Air Pollution

The world is faced with many crises, not the least of which is the various forms of pollution. And of these, perhaps the most devastating is air pollution. Since this menace is of concern to every human being, an examination of its causes and effects will be interesting and illuminating.

The causes of air pollution seem to stem from carelessness or blatant unconcern. Every citizen who drives a car that is not properly serviced and that does not have emission control devices is contributing noxious gases into the atmosphere. Large industries that do not have filtration mechanisms on their smoke stacks are also contributors. Every government which does not pass or passes but does not enforce strict air pollution legislation is also destroying the atmosphere. One may wonder why these three aspects of society show such a lack of concern with the air they breathe. Well, the underlying cause which motivates all three groups is money. Legislation and enforcement of laws and installation and maintenance of filtration systems cost money. The majority of these three groups seem content to save a bit of money now and sacrifice an invaluable commodity later.

The effects of air pollution and disregarding its warning signals influence present life styles and determine the future. Now people are only inconvenienced by air pollution. Large urban areas such as Los Angeles have pollution alerts which warn elderly people and those with pulmonary diseases to stay indoors. For those intrepid enough to venture outdoors, alerts mean stinging eyes, irritated sinuses, and scratchy throats. Even though people living outside urban areas are seldom inconvenienced today, no one should be complacent about what the future holds. If pollutants keep building up in the atmosphere at present rates, only a few years into the 21st century will find the delicate layers of the atmosphere so damaged as to admit the sun's ultraviolet rays full throttle, or the atmosphere will be so clogged with pollutants that not enough of the sun's warming rays will filter through to support life. Whatever happens in the upper air, the city streets will surely be nonnegotiable without a gas mask, and every home will have to have special filtration devices to make air breathable. Without strict controls on polluters, today's inconvenience will be tomorrow's crises.