Television:  A Negative Influence

 Television, one of the marvels of the technological age, is used by companies and agencies to reach and deliver a message to a mass amount of people simultaneously. This outreach of companies to consumers is known as advertising. This method of product display is beneficial for companies in the basis that it increases sales and company recognition ,but for the average consumer, advertising has more negative implications than positive. Companies go to all costs to increase revenue, even if it means false advertising or double entendre meanings. The values proposed by these companies in their selfish aims disregard the fact that many watching their ads are children and youth, a demographic that is easily influenced by the things they see around them. Television ads advocate negative values, and virtually hypnotize the viewer to buy into their ideas and values.

Advertisers try to convince the audience that the solution to a problem or the fulfillment of a desire can only be achieved through the purchase of their product a strategy designed towards blind acceptance by the viewer. In this way TV negatively affects the human mind, by limiting the possibilities of conscious choice, teaching our children from an early age that spending and living above your means is justified when you obtain the item of your desire. TV advertisements also promote negative and bad behaviors to the viewers. An example that springs to mind are the commercials used by the manufacturers of Skittles candy, depicting a child in a store who throws a tantrum and ends up getting the candy. This advertisement not only promotes eating unhealthy foods, but also demonstrates to children that it is acceptable to throw a fit in order to get what you want. Another example is the advertisement from Abercrombie and Fitch Co. that depicts a scantily clad young woman engaging in intimate contact with a similarly aged young man. This commercial inculcates to our young women that it is fashionable to dress inappropriately, and dressing in such a fashion attracts attention from the opposite gender, and engaging in intimacies with young men you are unfamiliar with is the “cool” thing to do. Unfortunately, there are no moral or meritorious barriers preventing these companies from spreading their propaganda. We, the American people need to stand up and deny these malicious, profit hungry corporations access to the delicate hearts and minds of our cherished children and youth.  

This message not brought to you by: