Even cats enjoy watching television.
It’s difficult sometimes to see anything “good” in the daily onslaught of “gloom and doom” flooding our living rooms. We’ve all felt too often that television is both a blessing and a curse. And its effect on society in general is undeniable. The history of television IS a history of US.
As an older woman, I can recall being a young child and standing in front of a furniture store with my dad, staring in wonder at the moving pictures on a little box.
My grandmother owned the first television in our family and we often watched westerns and entertainment shows on it. There was very little discussion about what we watched, and of course children had no input in any choice. I recall my grandmother once consoling me with the unimaginable idea that I would one day have my very own television and would control all the knobs. Yes, knobs. I was the one who always walked across the living room to turn them. A “remote” device wasn’t even a dream. Dad was the only one trusted to make the antenna adjustment required at least once per evening.
I don’t have to review a history of television or the evolution of what was once acceptable on the screen and what is now tolerated. I can tell you that there are about five occasions that stand out in my mind regarding my mother’s reaction to some changes. If she were still alive, she would no doubt question the morality and sanity of some things routinely viewed by devoted fans. And though we still have one TV, I know people who have seven. Mom would not understand that at all.
My actual purpose in writing this is two-fold:
- I am constantly encouraged and inspired by the positive, creative, loving, and charitable ways many people are using to cope with the numerous challenges of this year. Quite a few of those with great attitudes and loving hearts are young people! And the news media seems to be recognizing more and more of those.
- Reading an actual history of the television was, for me, an “aha” moment like no other. I encourage you to read the following facts and then give serious thought to the implications and applications that can be applied to today. This certainly caused me to reconsider some of my concerns about the upcoming generations. Television: The “ancestor” of our current form of television was invented by 21-year-old Philo Taylor Farnsworth. He was still in high school when he first envisioned the possibility of a new way of showing moving pictures on a screen. He was apparently seeking a better form of entertainment because he had lived without electricity until he was 14.
Let’s all pay closer attention today to some positive news reports. We need to be encouraged and inspired!
Recent Comments