Poll: Is modern TV dumbing down the youth of today?

[Dys]

Having just seen the absoloute crap my sister was watching on 'MTV' I feel the urge to ask if the stupid and largely innapropriate content of what kids watch is having a negative effect on kids today (As all the experts call the latest generation the "blame shifters" or some such name).
I think that because TV is constantly showing spoiled, unintelligent brats as role models, kids are following. And I don't just mean MTV, disney channel is worse, the dumbed down american sitcoms actually made my brain cry, I could swear this wasn't the way it was when I was a kid.

Reading back over my post, I'm unsure how clear I've been, and because I couldn't find a like topic to relate it too most of you are probably going to have no clue what I'm ranting about, but still, hit me with some opinions. I want to hear what my fellow escapians thing.

 

[Labyrinth]

It's necessary to point out that the great Glass Teat isn't just dumbing down people my age, it's infiltrating most people, regardless of age. To quote Fight Club "What I care about is celebrity magazines". We're taught to be stupid, to pay attention to what the face on the screen is telling us.

It's the same sort of psychology as surrounds the 'TV president' syndrome. That is, we believe we understand our leaders because we see them all the time in the media. Never mind the fact that it's mostly spin and propaganda.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

We need to ban all reality shows and destroy all evidence of them ever existing.....I HATE reality shows....they are pointlessly shallow drivel....

 

[TomNook]

No, the youth of today is getting dumber. TV is a reflection, not a cause.

 

[Shivari]

We need to ban all reality shows and destroy all evidence of them ever existing.....I HATE reality shows....they are pointlessly shallow drivel....

I love Survivor, American Idol, and Amazing Race. I used to watch The Apprentice, but that went downhill. Hell's Kitchen is alright if you enjoy watching some British guy screaming at supposedly good chefs, I usually forget to watch it though.

But seriously, those first three I mentioned are awesome. I've never missed an episode of Survivor, I always make sure I record it if I'm not around.

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

Sitcoms aren't the problem, the problem is reality TV. Oh and emo culture. I really hope that isn't the fad my generation is remebered for. Like seriously. But anyway... reality TV is dumbing down culture because it has no depth and zero thought provoking material. Sitcoms aren't really dumbed down, they are basically the same as they have always been, and I really mean that

 

[Shivari]

reality TV is dumbing down culture because it has no depth and zero thought provoking material.

It doesn't need to be thought provoking to have entertainment value. They can be just fun and interesting to watch.

 

[dalek sec]

We need to ban all reality shows and destroy all evidence of them ever existing.....I HATE reality shows....they are pointlessly shallow drivel....

Thank you! I'm glad to know I'm not alone when it comes to this feeling. I remember when I was little that yeah some shows still sucked but atleast you could find something if you looked hard enough.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

Talent TV shows are pretty awful as well, I don't care if millions of random people think they can sing, I really don't.

 

[Labyrinth]

I avoid television like the plague for the post part. Even the news on the commercial stations has so much spin. And I hate the advertisements. As for reality television, I find nothing entertaining in it. I may as well pay attention to gossip. Eugh.

 

[Dys]

TV is better now than it's ever been, both in terms of entertainment and factual content. At least it is where I live.

I notice you refer to MTV and "spoiled, unintelligent brats" so I assume you're ranting about The Hills? The editing and production on that show is genius--it's one half counter-cultural satire, one half absurd melodrama. Other than The Wire I'd say it's the best show on TV at the moment.

Nope, never even heard of it.
The show that set me off was some retarded thing about rich girls trying to go on a date with some guy.
Horribly scripted, painfully unrealistic and just generally encouraging people to live life in a less than honourable way.

 

[Shivari]

As for reality television, I find nothing entertaining in it. I may as well pay attention to gossip. Eugh.

I pay mild attention to that too. :$

 

[Labyrinth]

As for reality television, I find nothing entertaining in it. I may as well pay attention to gossip. Eugh.

I pay mild attention to that too. :$

In a statement of irony, you typical female, you.

 

[ward.]

I think some TV show make people stupid (Miami ink I'm looking at you) but I can't see how something like the discovery channel would.

 

[Lord Krunk]

No, the youth of today is getting dumber. TV is a reflection, not a cause.

Now, it ain't that bad.

I mean, kids are gullible, not dumb. If big companies can take advantage of this when they are young, they have customers for a lifetime. I'm just ignorant of things that don't interest me, so I never suffered this problem.

However, it seems that kids with Foxtel/Other Pay TV over here are generally dumber.

 

[Imitation Saccharin]

We're taught to be stupid, to pay attention to what the face on the screen is telling us.

Then why does this type of TV get the ratings, while shows like The Wire get laughably tiny ratings?

We LIKE being talked down to. We like vapid, dumb airheads. We aren't taught anything. We ASKED for this.

 

[darthsmily]

It is not just Tv that has dumbed down the children of today, it's also the need to fit in. I have seen so many smart and intelligent teenagers fall in with the rest of the stupid crowd because of peer pressure.
Music also has a large part in what a teenager does and also the parents for not paying enough attention and just plain not giving a damn about how well they do in school and not teaching them any important things in life.

 

[klakkat]

We need to ban all reality shows and destroy all evidence of them ever existing.....I HATE reality shows....they are pointlessly shallow drivel....

While I agree with you mostly, Insomniac was one of the only TV shows ever worth watching, and it is technically a reality show.