Curbing the One–Eyed Monster

                                                                                            Fiona C. Jenkins, New Zealand (1947 - )
Summary in English

This essay makes a criticism on modern TV culture where TV has been taken as a one-eyed monster. It must be curbed aside. It has become a thing of hatred. So, we must keep our brain safe by ignoring to watch TV although we miss some advantages. We spend lots of our precious time on watching TV, and so do our children. It has become a curse. It makes us completely passive. We are losing our creativity. Democratic attitudes and values have been endangered by TV as the monstrous gift of science. Truth is lost. In this sense, many people are manipulated and controlled by others.
Jenkins says that TV has brought a great harm. For example, in America, daring childhood, people watch 13000 killings 100000 violent episodes and 650000 advertisements. In average, an American child watches TV seven hours per day which is only the matter of wasting time. Similarly, we are left very little time for fun after watching TV. Instead, we could read books, talk to people, watch the sunset, travel, etc. watching TV is to make passive life. TV makes us ignore institutional life. As a result, the social and political world remains deficient. TV threatens a free society. The world of TV is unreal and irrelevant, too.
People who are politically and economically powerful, they mostly control media (TV) and mold public opinion to serve their own class interests. In such a situation, democracy suffers and people cannot exercise freedom. Jenkins gives the example of America. In America, TV stations are controlled by capitalists and rich, selfish, business and media people. They never think about the benefit of the ordinary people. Rather they manipulate and deceive common people. Though they get many comments, they do not care it.
Jenkins suggests us that the best idea to protect ourselves from had influence of television is boycotting them. She further advises people to unplug TV and curb it aside. Therefore, it is better to throw the TV set away and make educational in our home.