Television vs. Telephones

The television has a greater effect on people’s lives than the telephone has. Do you agree or disagree?

First of all, I honestly believe that both appliances are very useful tools to accommodate the average person in the 21^st century. Almost everyone has a television in their house or available on their phone! Almost everyone has a phone too. Whether it is an old flip phone or a touch screen smart phone, someone has a phone. And yes, I know not everyone has both. But you get what I’m saying right? These two are everywhere. Yet which one is more effective?

I honestly believe that the television is mainly an advertisement box. On this island, we don’t have 1000 tv channels like the programs in the United States, Japan, Korea, England, and so on. We don’t even have 100! And yet every channel is packed with commercials. At least five commercials proceed and precede a certain tv show. It drives me and my mom insane!

Besides the fact that it is chockfull of ads, the actual use of the television is not mentally and physically healthy. If you have watched tv for four hours straight, then you’ll know what I mean. You feel unpleasantly brain-dead. In AP English today we were just talking about watching tv and movies rather than reading books. Our teacher said that our mind does not think when we are watching tv. Our minds lack the productive imagination that we experience when we read a book since the picture is laid out in pixel form. Too much television and useless tv shows will rot your mind. I barely touch the remote to the tv on weekdays, sometimes even on weekends, because I’m busy with homework and the shows that are shown on this island are junk. Some shows are very informative though. I’ve noticed I enjoy watching educational shows because they are way more interesting. I prefer you watch that more. You’ll learn things in a fun way also.

When it comes to the telephone, however, I believe it is more effective in one’s social and educative life than the television. And by telephone, I mean the home telephone that is connected to the wall with a lot of wires. (Taking into consideration of smartphones, they are the items of the year. Everyone has them! They are pretty affective!) My mom stresses this to me every single day. And every single time I use my iPod in front of her. (I’m exaggerating; my mom is nice.) She tells me that iMessage and KIK is incomparable to talking to someone on the phone. Hearing that person’s laugh is much better than seeing an LOL. I honestly and guiltily agree with her. I just like messaging instead. I am shamefully lazy and shy to call people.

What is the one weapon that will help you win the war?

Take a minute to think about it.

No, not a machine gun. Not napalm. Not a nuke. Not a knife. What else can you think of?

It’s communication. Without knowing the orders your colonel says, there is no way you can fight. Knowing one’s location is significant in the battlefield because you need to know who you’re shooting. Communication and coordination with your fellow soldiers and lieutenants is the key to a win. 

I’d rather have a telephone in my own house than cable. I can watch tv shows on YouTube or Hulu. Yet tv is good too! Just don’t abuse it!