WhentelevisionwasfirstintroducedintoAmericansocietythirtyyearsago,writersandsocialscientiststhoughtthatthisnewinventionwouldbetterAmericanlife.TelevisionisgoingtobringAmericanfamiliesclosertogether,predictedpsychologistJoelGoldin1949.Pictureswhichadvertisedtelevisioninthe1950sinvariablyshowedahappyfamilygatheredtogetherinthelivingroom,sharingtheTVviewingexperience.WhocouldhaveguessedthataquarterofacenturylaterMotherwouldbeinthekitchenwatchingadaytimedrama,Dadwouldbeinthelivingroomwatchingaballgame,andthechildrenwouldbewatchingcartoonsintheirbedroom?

　　TelevisionhascertainlychangedAmericanlife,butnotthewaythefirstcriticspredicted.Thefirsttelevisionswereenormouslyexpensive,somostfamiliesownedonlyone.By1975,however,60%ofAmericanfamiliesownedtwotelevisionsormore;somemiddleclassfamilieshadasmanyasfivetelevisionsetsunderoneroof.Suchmulti-setfamiliesmaykeepfamilymembersinthesamehouse,butthathardlybringsthemtogether.Infact,familyoutings—hiking,goingtothemovies,goingouttodinner—areoftenlimitedbyTVbecauseoneormorefamilymembersdon’twanttogo:“I’llmissmyprogram.”isthecommoncomplaint.

　　Perhapsmoreimportantthanthelackoffamilyoutingsisthedestructionoffamilytimetogetherathome.Socialscientistsinthe1950scouldnothaverealizedhowmuchtelevisionAmericanswouldwatchinthe1980s;theaverageAmericanwatches6hoursofTVaday.Thatleaveslittletimeforthespecialfamilycharacteristicsandtraditionsthatusedtobeformedduringlongeveningstogether.Thetimedevotedtogames,songs,andhobbies—allsharedactivities—intheyearsbeforeTVisnowdominatedby“thetube”.Andespeciallydamagingtofamilyrelationshipsistheeliminationoftheopportunitiesfortalking:chatting,arguing,discussing.Withoutsuchcommunication,familylifedisintegrates.

　　Dominationisthekeyword.FamiliesinAmericatodayscheduletheirlivesaroundthetelevision.Childrenrushhomefromschooltowatchtheirprogramswhiletheydotheirhomework.Mothershopsbetweenherspecialprograms.TheskislopesarenearlyemptyonSunday;footballonTVtakesprecedence.Thefamilymayeveneatmealsinfrontofthetelevision.Moreover,televisionisusedasababy-sitter;smallchildrennationwidespendcountlesshoursinfrontoftheTV,passivelyingestingwhateverflashesbeforetheireyes.Parentsusethetelevisionasaresourceofrewardandpunishment:“Ifyoumowthelawn,youcanwatchTVanextrahourtonight,”or“NoTVforyou.Youdidn’tdoyourhomework”.Ultimately,life-stylesrevolvearoundaregularscheduleofeating,sleeping,andwatchingtelevision.

　　Isn’tthereabetterfamilylifethanthisdismal,mechanizedarrangement?AccordingtosocialscientistMaryHelenThuente,thequalityoflifeisdiminishedasfamilytiesgrowweaker,aschildren’slivesgrowmoreandmoreseparatefromtheirparents,astheopportunitiesforlivingandsharingwithinafamilyareeliminated.Indeed,ifthefamilydoesnotaccumulatesharedexperiences,itisnotlikelytosurvive.Consequently,ifparentsandchildrenalikedonotchangetheirpriorities,televisionwillcontinuetoexertitsinfluenceonAmericanfamilylifeasbaby-sitter,pacifier,teacher,rolemodel,andsupplierofmorals,thussupplantingtheplaceofthefamilyinsociety.