I found this poem about TV...

[razer84]

so i had to take this online English test for school (15/21 correct FTW!) and one of the questions was about a poem. here's the poem:

        Disappearing in the TV Room

We switch him on while we eat, while we dine,
The bright pictures twitching something of fame.
He promises that life won't be the same
Without the shows at seven, eight, or nine.
We make our claim on territories old
And scramble over cushions, couch, and floor;
Adjust the volume to a gentle roar;
Accept channels from the box square and cold.
With glowing, green-lit face the creature tells
Of product offers, fashion finds and brands.
Consuming viewers hold out ready hands.
He lures them in and sells and sells and sells.
In innocence whole evenings we devote
To worshipfully gazing at the screen,
Digesting mindless plotlines scene by scene,
Expressing our approval by remote.
His hunger never satisfied, he tries
To reach inside the cupboards of our minds
In search of easy pickings of all kinds;
He mixes them with fantasy and lies.
In easy comfort we take mental flight;
The comic, action, romance jester grins.
If those plugged in stay tuned he knows he wins,
Cashing our hours as day turns into night.
With still, unblinking sloth we watch, and thus
Our muscles are diminished with our brains.
We lose our freedom while he entertains,
Forgetting life's not happening to us.


the first thing i thought after reading it was, 'wow that's awful.' then i realized how untrue all that is. it's basically saying that we (namely us US Americans) are slaves to television and that we are like zombies when we are confronted by TV. i strongly disagree with the message of this poem, what do you think?

[Lildigipoke2]

that is terrible!

[Harvest]

I couldn't even read it, it is so disgustingly insulting.

I love TV, how dare someone make a poem about it.

[razer84]

that's exactly how i felt.

[Mike]

If you think that it's untrue, then you're just really freaking naive. Why do you think there are infomercials on tv? Because they know a ton of people fall for them because they say to themselves "Well if it's on TV, it has to be true". I don't know if you've been out in real life lately, but have you noticed how so many people, especially women, have the same trends? Well believe it or not, these trends exist because of the media and celebrities people see on TV. These people become robots where channels like MTV decide which kind of music they should listen to and how they should dress. All that while giving them completely useless facts like what Britney Spears is currently doing 24/7. The media is pretty much in control of everything.

[razer84]

If you think that it's untrue, then you're just really freaking naive. Why do you think there are infomercials on tv? Because they know a ton of people fall for them because they say to themselves "Well if it's on TV, it has to be true". I don't know if you've been out in real life lately, but have you noticed how so many people, especially women, have the same trends? Well believe it or not, these trends exist because of the media and celebrities people see on TV. These people become robots where channels like MTV decide which kind of music they should listen to and how they should dress. All that while giving them completely useless facts like what Britney Spears is currently doing 24/7. The media is pretty much in control of everything.

i know that all of that is true, but i personally don't live that way and that's why i disagree with this poem.

[Mike]

Maybe you don't, but most people do. It's like if someone in Germany during World War 2 said I'm not a nazi, so nazis in Germany is so untrue.

[Dekudude]

For some people, yes, it's true. For some people, no, it isn't. 'Nuff said. =P Personally, I don't so much care for the TV, as I rarely watch anything on it. However, it's not uncommon to find someone who DOES obsess over it.

[Harvest]

Well I certainly don't watch tv when I eat, ever.  I enjoy my food and watching distracting tv ruins it.

I don't obsess over any celebrity ever.

I hardly ever buy something based on a tv commercial.

There are only a few shows that I can't miss, Lost is one of them.

This poem doesn't apply to me.  My brain isn't rotting and to stay in shape you just have to maybe walk to school and get a job.  Then work out a few times a week.  Thats what I do and sure, I could lose maybe 5 pounds but compared to everyone else at my school I am in pretty good shape as my Body Mass Index is good.

 

[Super Zombie]

I agree with Mike. This poem completely 100% true. Of course not everybody is that way. That can be said of nothing. But overall, America has given over their lives to the glowing tube and let their minds turn to mush. Television is evil when used in large amounts. Remember, one of the seven deadly sins is sloth. Of course, everything in moderation. If you only watch a few shows and don't have the TV running in the background all day, and you actually do other things like read and exercise then it's okay. But many have forfeited their lives to a constant media.

[razer84]

I agree with Mike. This poem completely 100% true. Of course not everybody is that way. That can be said of nothing. But overall, America has given over their lives to the glowing tube and let their minds turn to mush. Television is evil when used in large amounts. Remember, one of the seven deadly sins is sloth. Of course, everything in moderation. If you only watch a few shows and don't have the TV running in the background all day, and you actually do other things like read and exercise then it's okay. But many have forfeited their lives to a constant media.

that's actually quite reasonable. i agree with your thoughts.