Television and its impact upon society

Oct 7
08:11

2011

Tintumon Thomas

Tintumon Thomas

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Television is one of the miracles of science. It has revolutionized the human outlook and is serving as a faithful servant to humanity.

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Television is one of the miracles of science. It has revolutionized the human outlook and is serving as a faithful servant to humanity. Mankind is obliged to Baird,Television and its impact upon society Articles who invented the television and made it possible to present moving, talking, living and breathing pictures of men and events on screen. It has influenced our culture in every respect.

Man is born in the stream of culture and must continually swim in it. The whole society has a culture consisting of material and non- material substances.

All cultures have the same basic organization, although the cultural traits developed by different societies vary from one to another. All the parts or components of culture are influenced by television in the modern age.

Cultural traits are the single elements or the smallest units of a culture. They are the “Units of Observation” which when put together constitute culture. The invention of television has enabled us to enjoy and see with our own eyes thousands of cultural traits and different people living in different communities of different countries.

Thus shaking hands, touching the feet, tipping hats, the kiss on the cheeks as gestures of affection, giving seats to ladies first, eating in brass utensils, etc. are the cultural traits which have got great significance in our cultural development only because of TV. These traits are regarded as elementary units of culture.

Cultural traits are formed when traits and complexes become related to each other in functional roles. Television influences our cultural values through cultural complexes also. Cultural complexes are nothing but larger clusters of traits organized about some nuclear point of reference.

Cultural traits, as we know, do not usually appear lonely or independently. They are customarily associated with other related traits to form cultural complexes. Each, cultural complex has a role, to play in different societies It has got a definite place within the overall scheme of things. The cultural pattern of a society consists of a number of such cultural complexes.

Thus, many other countries have such cultural patterns, as Socialism, Marxism and many others. Each of these is a culture complex, consisting of numerous cultural traits which we see and learn through TV.

There are many basic cultural traits. For instance, patterns of communication, gesture and language methods and objects for providing man’s physical welfare, getting food, personal care, shelter, tools, etc., means of exchange of goods and services, barter, trade, commerce, etc.

programmes about social controls and institutions of government, public opinion, laws and political offices are also shown on TV. So are programmes concerning artistic expression, architecture, painting, music literature dance and other recreational activities of different communities.

Culture is defined as the acquired behavior of a group. It means that there will be as many cultures as there are groups. Culture is a distinct character of a nation, of a group or a period of history. That is why we speak of the cultures of India, of Japan or of America. Invention of TV has enabled us to know about the cultures of these different countries.

Sometimes individual peculiarities or personal eccentricities also influence cultural behavior. It is culture that makes the human animal a man, regulates his conduct and prepares him for group life. It provides to him a complete design for living.

Culture keeps social relationships intact. Culture has provided a number of checks upon irrational conduct and suggestibility such things as schooling and scientific training. TV is also a great source of amusement. A man, after day’s hard work, may switch on his television set and derive immense pleasure by seeing dramas, variety entertainments, film songs and films on TV.

He is to feel greatly relieved of days fatigue and would find as if fresh energy is being infused into his tired limbs. TV has acquired an important status in the modern age because of its various cultural programmes. Influence of developed cultures of different countries has got great significance in our cultural values. It is also hoped that influence of different developed cultures will influence our cultural development in future by the grace of God.