Every possible social or cultural evil you can think of is being forcefully instilled in innocent minds through TV
ISLAMABAD: We live in an era which is being controlled by television. This slavery to television might have proven to be quite beneficial for the human race in many aspects, but its negative influences should also be taken into consideration. This influence starts when we are a few months old and stays with us for the rest of our lives. Most children these days spend more time in front of the television rather than spending it with their parents. These children learn more from this techno-slate rather than from their parents and teachers combined.
Now the question that arises is what is this army of little ones watching? The answer to this comes from those overly protective parents who say that ‘our children only watch cartoons and nothing else’. Cartoons might have been a source of learning till around the 1990s, but things are different now. Cartoons of that era were way more entertaining and had many useful messages for its viewers, but now just tune your television to any cartoon channel, and you will feel nothing but utter disappointment.
I feel that every possible social or cultural evil that you can think of is being forcefully instilled in innocent minds through the content on television. For example, you will witness the killing of our national culture and heritage, bloodshed and racism. It will be useful if children are allowed to play outside their homes with other children. Parents should plan outdoor activities, such as going to playgrounds for picnics. They should also be introduced to playful activities where they get a chance to interact with their peers. Children should also be encouraged to participate in creative activities. Parenting is considered to be one of the most hectic jobs assigned to mankind and it would be great if we start doing these tasks ourselves rather than relying on a piece of technology.
Farrukh Yousaf Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, October 29th, 2014.
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