TV and Society

Based on the discussion we had in class and the readings we did, it seems that television and texts are a sounding board for society. When the subject matter is satire it is very easy to see to the connection to society. In the book Brave New World, written in the 1930s, the idea of test tube babies is very prominent. This mention is basically pointing to eugenics, or the genetic advancement of humans through selective breeding. The theme of eugenics was very strong throughout the world at the time, with both the US experimenting with it, and then Nazi Germany in Europe(on a side note, it is often overlooked that a great deal of the world was interested in eugenics, not just the Nazis).

                The other way we can see it connected to society is how popular the types of shows are. In the early days of television, the most popular programs were informative news and the like. This would show a society looking to learn and stay informed. Turning our gaze to more recent programming, we see a move to more dramatic television. With reality TV and “breaking”news, it appears that society wants something different. The way I see it is that we now want life to be interesting and have a story. This means news must be gripping, which leads to a focus on the sob stories and the negative. Our regular television must dramatic, and nothing is more dramatic than fighting or emotional arguments. By watching these shows, we reinforce the ideology pushed by the show in society. We start living our lives like a reality show, because that is what we expect. As is referenced in the reading, we allow ourselves to be distracted from news elsewhere with created drama at home.