Is television bad for your brain and yourself?
485284
Television in moderation is not bad.  However, if you come home from school or work and plop yourself down in front of the lobotomy box all night, it is bad for your brain and yourself because (1) you aren't getting any exercise; (2) you aren't getting a single thing done at home all night; (3) you're watching mindless slop for hours on end.  It's not bad to watch two or three favorite programs, but it is bad to make television your babysitter, your best friend, your only hobby, or your therapist.
119542
Excessive cartoon watching in a toddler has been shown to "overstimulate" their little synapses and can cause ADD. Cartoons can also cause epileptics to have sezuires.
98885
Sure, why not?  It's entertaining, and often (but not always) less offensive than a lot of what's out there.  As long as you're feeding your mind, what's the harm?
270289
No it is not good to be a couch potato, on the other hand it is not to good to be an exercise addict either. Moderation in all things is what you should strive for in all life has to offer. There is nothing wrong with watching TV, There are many good programs especially on PBS.
509638
Okay time for a serious answer. \n\nNo it's not bad for your health. And you won't go blind or anything else, in fact tests have shown that it will keep your **** operating better. But many people won't tell you this becasue they don't want you "playing" with it.
489707
The average child in the United States spends about 25 hours a week in front of the television (including the use of VCR), according to the latest annual Media in the Home survey, conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center -- a number significantly exceeding the maximum limit suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). In 1990, the AAP issued a recommendation that children watch no more than one to two hours of "quality" television a day. Just two weeks ago, the AAP came out with stricter guidelines, published in the August issue of Pediatrics: Children under age 2, they say, should not watch television at all, and older kids should not have televisions in their bedrooms. \n\nWhy such seemingly tight limitations? Over the past several decades a number of studies have shown that there are several ways that television can be harmful to the mental and physical health of children. That's not to say that all television is bad for kids. In fact, a number of quality children's shows -- such as the popular preschool show "Blue's Clues" and, of course, "Sesame Street" -- engage kids in positive ways. However, when children watch television frequently and indiscriminately, the effects can be detrimental. \n\nTV viewing and poor school performance \n\nOnly a handful of programs teach children important skills such as math, reading, science or problem solving. Most of the shows on television, including cartoons, are noneducational. More time spent watching these shows is linked with poorer school performance overall and decreased scores on standardized tests. This makes sense when you consider that more time spent in front of a television means less time spent on homework or having stimulating interactions with adults or other children. In addition, late-night TV watching tires kids out so that they can't pay attention in school. Also, television hands kids all the answers, promoting passive learning and short attention spans. As a result, kids have difficulty concentrating and working hard to solve a problem. \n\nTV violence affects kids \n\nIn many instances, TV programming promotes negative behavior. Perhaps the most prevalent example of this is violence. Even shows designed for children are not necessarily violence-free. The Media in the Home survey found that 28 percent of all children's shows contained four-or-more incidents of violence per show -- a number that media experts consider high. Several studies have shown that a child is more likely to display violent or antisocial behavior depending on the degree of violence and the total number of violent programs he or she watches. \n\nHeavy tv viewing, heavy kids \n\nThere appears to be a strong relationship between time spent in front of the television and being overweight. In fact, this past March the American Medical Association held a special briefing in New York City to alert parents about the well-proven link between TV viewing and obesity. This well-known "couch-potato" syndrome is probably the result of taking in too many calories (junk food -- which is advertised on television -- stuffed in unconciously as kids stare at the screen) and not burning up enough calories (sitting still rather than running around and playing). But the effects are reversible: Three studies have demonstrated that overweight children lost weight as they decreased their TV viewing. \n\nLate-night television leads to daytime sleepiness \n\nTV watching (especially late-night and violent shows) has been connected with poor sleep patterns in children. The emotional stress caused by the shows could be preventing children from getting to sleep and cause nightmares. In turn, abnormal sleep patterns can cause children to be less alert during the day, also contributing to poor school perfor
140602
You should probably have your brain examined by a doctor.
346545
I wonder.  The differences are not that great, in a way.  Much of television watching is directed at the hind brain, the instinctive, animalistic, primitive part of your mind.  Some of it stimulates other areas as well, including a minor portion of the fore-brain (nothing you didn't have in place by age 12, mind you), but not that much or that often.\n\nI suppose this is my chance to say that I honestly believe that television, especially color television, is very, very bad for you.  Why color especially?  Because some aspects seem very real in a way they were not when black-and-white was the medium.  And I mean to include, quite specifically, commercials.  It gives the food ads way to much impact, and is especially responsible for much of morbid obesity.  Couch potato, indeed!\n\nSleeping is good for you, in that you rest and repair your body and your mind.  Television does neither of those things.  And it puts you in touch with the lowest common denominator of our culture.  Better you should take a very thoughtful look at the best movies and other DVD items from the past and the present, and decide on your own, higher level, of entertainment.
1055612
No.  You get more "wrinkles" in your brain which increases the surface area of the brain without increasing its volume.
883977
Yes because you can cause damage to your brain!!\n& its never good to not be in control of yourself\nhave a few drinks if you must but stop when you are  just merry happy tiddly or what ever you call it \nnever wipe yourself out \nits more fun when you know whats going on around you
706636
I find it interesting that this comes as a question... when in my opinion.. it is so factual that violence portrayed on TV, movies and video games affects people's mind, specially children.   How we in this 'modern' times accept as natural viewing and being bombarded with violence and other stuff from TV.  I have personally stopped watching TV and you know.. I have gained so much in my life.. Instead of waisting my life plugged into the 'garbage tube' I have found renewed interest in music, arts, enjoying friends, exercise and the list goes on.  I have children, they don't live with me since I have been divorced, but when they come visit... the thing they know they are not doing is watching TV...  Sometimes we rent movies, but for me is easy to filter as much as possible what they are watching.  And yes there is violence and sex out there in the real world... but there is no need for us human beings to  get soaked in it 24/7 as we become couch potatoes and let life slip away... as zombies.  My kids and I  have a great relationship and they are always happy to come to my place... because always is an adventure... never knowing what is going on.. what we would do... or go see, experience, meet... in resume live... not by watching it on the screen.. but by experiencing first hand!  Good luck with your paper and hopefully you find some good references.
865039
It brainwashes people!  I mean, why do you think they call it "programming"?!?  The corporations use television to crank out their propaganda which promotes the shallow materialism, run-away consumerism, and the need for instant gratification that already pervades our society.  And most of the "entertainment" on TV is merely brain-candy, laced with subtle messages, designed to provoke as little thought as possible.  It's sole purpose is to distract the sheep; to give them some sort of mind-numbing entertainment they can use to "tune out" so they don't pay attention to what's really going on!  Sad, eh?\nKILL YOUR TELEVISION!
439048
Unlike TV, reading allows you to paint your own pictures in your mind of how everything being described looks and feels. It is much more personal to a person to enjoy a good story that they pictured in thier own mind for themselves. TV just presents the story as is and leaves no room for your own creative input.
722587
its probably ok for your brain...probably the same as if you fell asleep somewhere where music was playing\n\nid worry more about my ears
1009409
I think it is GREAT that your school does not offer TV.  Go out to recess or to the library and read, hang out with friends, join a club. Take advantage of an environment without the distraction of TV.  I don't think TV is evil  and I watch it in the evenings. There is a place and a time for TV viewing and school is not that place. Sorry to be such kill-joy!
242148
When you watch television, it is the only time when your conscious mind is "inactive."  For good health you need plenty of exercise, so if you watch TV all the time you will turn into a couch potato...and possibly be lonely.  But other than that if you do it in a reasonable amount you should be OK!
887007
In the summer I stopped seeing TV for a week, and I was happy about it, because you break your routine and try new things.  Try it and see how you feel after a week.  But you cannot cheat, you cannot use the Internet to see what's on TV.  Also, don't spend hours answering questions here, because that's cheating again.    I'm like you, I love seeing TV, but picture the reality, they are making money and doing exciting things, and you are just sitting there, watching, ONLY watching what the tv stars are doing.  Try to find a new way to relax.