Would I rather people read Taylor Branch’s books on that era? Of course. But if I can barely find the time to read that, and remember how much and how fast I read, then is that really a fair expectation?
If I was unsure my stance on this issue made sense, that uncertainly dissipated after I read an article in The Washington Post today – which I just seeded - about an 11-part PBS series called America At A Crossroads, which explores complicated issues involving faith, civil rights, and related topics. You want to tell me that is “completely worthless”?
In closing, I agree that there is much bad TV. But I think it’s a mistake to dismiss all television just because much of it is mindless crap, just as I think it would be unfair to dismiss all Internet sites because the most visited sites are porn, or literature because many of the best sellers could be written by computer programs given a formula by Nora Roberts.
Put simply, not all television is bad – just most of it. The trick is to understand that there are other buttons besides “on” and “off.” Yes, that one that lets you change channels is also pretty good.
If you had told me a week, month or year ago that I would one day rant in support of television I’d have thought you crazy. Hell, I’ve had my cable TV turned off and on at least five times in the last year, as I decide whether or not it’s worth $20 a month to be able to watch Comedy Central. But just as I think Larry Gonick is right in a recent interview with me when he said that Howard Zinn replaces bad history books with books of rants/woes, I think it’s a mistake to suggest the solution to bad TV is to just turn it off.
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Article comments
1 - Matthew Milam
As I said at Newsvine, my mother keeps playing the "I don't watch television" song. Yet she just purchased two seasons of House, which I consider 24's much crazier cousin.
2 - Lisa McKay
I’ve been watching each of those three programs on DVD and I have to say as much as I love books â€" and I read about two books a week â€" few books are of as high a quality as those shows.
That's a pretty extreme statement, Scott. While I'd agree that a lot of what hits the best seller lists sucks, there's a whole world of literature out there, way beyond the best seller lists or what hits the shelves at your local B&N.
Overall, I agree with your assessment, though. Some of what's on TV is quite good -- you just have to pick and choose.
3 - Mat Brewster
I used to belong to the 'blow up your tv' club. I have since learned to stop worrying and love my television, but some of the arguments still stand. There is a lot of crap on TV, and a lot of people waste their lives watching it.
However, you're right, reading books, listening to music, or consuming any other art form isn't necessarily better. There's a lot of crap out there no matter the medium.
There's also a lot of quality, and TV has gotten really good of late. Maybe too good. I'm having to force myself not to watch them all so that I can the time for other things of quality.