I start with an expectation that everyone reading this article knows what a "Television / TV" is.
Yes, TV is that electronic device which plays all kinds of programs like news, sports, serials, movies, etc.
But most importantly, it plays advertisements constantly. It is safe to say that TV plays advertisements continuously, interspersed with programs to keep the viewer glued to it.
Lots of money and time is invested in creating television programs. However, except the cable network fees, there is no fees for watching the television.
How does the TV channels make money then? The viewer, after watching so many ads, develops desires & ends up buying one or other products (even though it adds no value to life). The more TV is watched, the more desires are created, and more products are purchased. This is the revenue model of TV.
Take for instance the case of Coca cola. In 2020, Coca cola spent 4 billion US Dollars. That is 3,00,52,60,00,000 Indian Rupee. The net profit was, around 32 billion per year.
Also I wish you know what "life" is. Existing in a normal healthy state and functioning to the full capacity of our body. Health is life. Whatever affects health, affects life. A sick person cannot function normally.
Billions of people watching the coca cola ads on TV, develop a desire for it. And consume it too. I did the same hundreds of times few years ago. It felt normal and proper as everyone around me was doing it.
This mindless desire affects the health directly. The list of health effects is huge. A 330 ml can of Coca cola has 37 grams of sugar, carbon, phosphorus caffeine & flavors.
If this amount of sugar is consumed directly, vomiting happens. The phosphorus in coca cola dulls the sweetness and prevents vomiting.
Within 20 minutes, blood sugar levels increase dramatically, which leads to sudden rise of insulin hormone. Immediately, liver turns the sugar into body fat for storage. The caffeine is absorbed within 40 minutes. Caffeine causes increase in blood pressure, dilates pupils, thereby making one feel alert. Dopamine levels are increased, leading to a feeling of pleasure. About an hour after drinking coca cola, sugar crash happens, the blood sugar levels lower, leading to irritability & drowsiness. This increases a craving for having another can of coca cola! Hence, one gets addicted. Over time, this leads to liver damage, obesity, kidney damage, ADHD in children, diabetes, heart diseases, increased inflammation, affects sperm count, decreases sex drive, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and so on (list is endless).
If there would have been no advertising, nobody would seek coca cola. This will spare us from all these health hazards. Can you see how TV affects our health?
In 2010, when I was doing PhD, I was overjoyed to discover that only dumb people can enjoy television. The article was published in a research journal after peer review. I took that article to my Department Head Naibedya Chattopadhyay, who told me to put it in the Notice Board. After that, a lot of discussion happened around this article. Since that time, I have discovered that TV is extremely hazardous. I have even found that it is almost impossible to have a reasonable discussion with a person who watches TV regularly.
Around 2013, we started weaning from television. By 2014, we had stopped cable TV subscription. Since then we are living without a TV. No serials, sports, news, movies, or any other type of program we watch. We have been saved from the bombardment of advertisements. And our life is enriched with clarity, peace and reasoning. My younger daughter Anju has never watched TV programs. When she watches a TV somewhere, she points out that the programs and what is shown there is not normal. She understands that it is all made up bullshit. And guess what, we never said that to her.
Television is not reality. Various problems that arise due to TV viewing are created due to:
Wasting time.
Missing out on real interaction with people.
TV increases negativity as it shows sensational events.
It creates unrealistic expectations.
It damages our belief system.
It creates inferiority complex & feelings of inadequacy.
It alters our perceptions through advertising & propaganda.
It degrades our discipline.
It causes plenty of health effects (listed below).
It eats up into rest, relaxation, sleep & healing time.
Our children gets habituated to it.
Let me scare you more so that you will also start weaning from TV and get rid of it eventually. All the claims are supported by links to the full articles. Read and make your choice.
Children watching fast-paced, fantastical television shows lose ability to learn.
Bad behaviors in children increases when parents use digital devices around children.
People who watch more TV, vote for a popular politician, but not for a suitable candidate.
Children watching TV from young age develop attention disorders.
Children watching TV have diminished maths and vocabulary skills.
Unhappy people prefer TV, happy people prefer to be with other people.
Children watching TV develops poor body, social difficulties and bad eating behaviors.
TV watching leads to eating junk foods and drinking unhealthy drinks.
Watching too much TV, through sitting, leads to deadly blood clots in veins.
TV watchers develop unrealistic expectations from relatives.
Aggressive people become even more aggressive after watching TV.
Colour changes in TV cartoons leads to seizures in some children.
Children who watch TV fail to understand that other people also have their own beliefs.
Children who grows watching more TV, live a socially isolated life when grow up.
Heart disease risk raised by sitting in front of the TV, is much higher than that by sitting at work.
Want kids who are smarter and thinner? Keep them away from the television set.
Couple who watch television are highly likely to end up with relationship issues.
Children watching educational TV programs, end up becoming aggressive bullies.
Presence of TV in young children's room very badly affects it's sleep.
Children develop negative behaviours by watching violent TV programs.
Violent videos on TV leads to dreams, nightmares and stress.
Older people watch more TV than younger people. But, younger people are scolded for watching TV!
Too much TV during teenage leads to depression during adulthood.
Children watching too much TV in childhood develop criminal and antisocial tendencies.
A family which eats infront of TV ends up with all kinds of health and relationship problems.
Television converts a child from an irresistible force into a sitting duck.
We have given up TV and achieved tremendous peace in our life. Get rid of your TV and you will get so many higher needs like health, good relationships, clarity, peace etc fulfilled.
Take Care