I appeared for an exam today where I also had to write an essay among other questions. Of the four given options, I opted for The influence of television on our lives.
So when I have already written one, why not reproduce it here and see how many marks you grant me before it gets checked by the real examiner. I am reproducing it by memory with help of some pointers that I jotted down on my question paper.
After having written it, I believe I was able to recall most of the essay, word to word and expression to expression. It was difficult to resist the temptation of editing it as with the keyboard in the hands, somehow better expressions flow into the mind of a blogger.
This essay was for 30 marks out of the total 100 marks paper. I took about one hour to write it, including selection of topic; after having spent the previous one and half hours, doing other questions. Lets see how many marks you grant me. Well remember, this essay is different from my posts as here I have to take a very neutral stand trying to touch as many dimensions as possible in the limited time provided. And not to forget that all that time my bottom was wriggling with pain, somehow fitting itself on a bench meant for primary school students.
And all of a sudden, I remember, I forgot to write the title above the essay. I am doomed!
So when I have already written one, why not reproduce it here and see how many marks you grant me before it gets checked by the real examiner. I am reproducing it by memory with help of some pointers that I jotted down on my question paper.
A sudden commotion in the house, everyone leaving their task at hand and running frantically towards the common room, Granny is already seated strategically on the cushioned couch with her hands folded. The young one runs towards the T.V. and switches it on. A sudden silence engulfs the room. Then suddenly everyone smiles as the T.V. lights up and shows a fuzzy picture. It reads, Ramanand Sagar presents Ramayana.The influence of television on our lives
Two and a half decade hence, T.V. has changed, channels have changed but the love for the television still persists. Is this love vital or fatal, that's what we'll see here.
We have come a long way from Doordarshan and Black and White era. The coming of coloured television revolutionised T.V. viewing which got a further boom with the entry of Cable T.V. in the last decade of the previous century. Now with the Direct to Home services available, there is no looking back.
The liberalisation that took place in 1990's gave a new power in the hands of the middle classes and they wanted to avail all these goods and services. Now, seeing a couple of televisions in the household of four was nothing to be surprised of.
Television has had a strong influence on our lives, be it at the individual level or at the societal level at large.
Television has been a great source of entertainment for the common man, giving him a breather in the otherwise melancholy and monotony of the daily life. Serving varied interests from drama to sports, news to cartoons, music to comedy and action to reality, it has something to offer to everyone. And even within this something there is a lot to choose from.
However, the days of Ramayana are gone when T.V. acted as a medium to bring the whole family together. Today, if the wife is watching her favourite serial on the T.V., the husband prefers to go to the other room to watch the cricket match. With time, people are preferring to live in this virtual world as the real relations become distant due to the lack of communication.
However, on the programming front, Television has taken a very positive stride by taking up social issues as the plot for the serials. Child marriage, female infanticide, women empowerment, etc have become the staple diet of an average T.V. viewer, sensitizing them towards these critical issues. But in their effort to out-do the other serials, sometimes they over-do the things, hence presenting an unrealistic projection of the society.
On the information front, the burgeoning news channels have revolutionised the delivery of latest happenings around the globe. Now, one do not have to wait for any special news bulletin or the morning newspaper for the same. However, with the ever-increasing news channels and the associated competition, sometimes these media houses act irresponsibly while covering some sensitive issues which may lead to serious law and order problem. Moreover, to fill their air-time, they end up showing irrelevant stuff including shows full of superstition which have a regressive influence on the viewers.
For children, T.V. has provided a lot of useful programs on channels like Discovery and National Geographic which act as an important addition to their regular curriculum. However, how much time children actually spend watching them as compared to cartoon and animation channels is a question for research.
Cartoon channels may have no serious negative influence on children other than being poor substitute for educational programs or playing in the evenings, but a serious threat to their innocence comes from the Reality television. There are a number of such shows where contestants abuse more than they speak. In the name of modernisation, they are dishing out a poor copy of the western culture with no roots in Indianness.
Moving from those who view television to those who make their living out of it, we may see a similar dichotomy of influences.
Television has given a chance to many talented amateurs to showcase their talent in front of the world. Sunidhi Chauhan and many others like her are findings of such shows only. However, with increasing opportunities, competition has also intensified. When the people cannot get the money and fame they are promised or they have dreamt of, they are forced to start from the scratch. Those who are unable to handle it are lost in oblivion.
So, television like any other medium has its positive and negative influences. It depends upon an individual that how he/she perceive and manage it.
Of late, Television is facing a stiff competition from the internet. Youngsters today prefer to spend their time on social networking websites and to watch videos directly from the video streaming websites. However, it seems that television will somehow manage to retain its position by adapting as it has always done by offering something new to the viewers.
However, self-regulation on the part of the channels will help to negate to some extent the negative influences of the television. Moreover, the onus also lies on an individual to realise the difference between the reality and non-reality and extract the best out of it.
After having written it, I believe I was able to recall most of the essay, word to word and expression to expression. It was difficult to resist the temptation of editing it as with the keyboard in the hands, somehow better expressions flow into the mind of a blogger.
This essay was for 30 marks out of the total 100 marks paper. I took about one hour to write it, including selection of topic; after having spent the previous one and half hours, doing other questions. Lets see how many marks you grant me. Well remember, this essay is different from my posts as here I have to take a very neutral stand trying to touch as many dimensions as possible in the limited time provided. And not to forget that all that time my bottom was wriggling with pain, somehow fitting itself on a bench meant for primary school students.
And all of a sudden, I remember, I forgot to write the title above the essay. I am doomed!
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