There is probably no greater influence on society than the television. It has become arguably the greatest invention of the past century. With it, we have witnessed countless historical events: Inaugurations of presidents; man’s first steps on the moon; the assignation of John F. Kennedy; even disasters as they happen. Americans watch TV in the morning to receive the daily news. They eat watching it. They watch it before they go to bed. But as television has saturated our lives, has it always resulted toward our betterment or has it possibly led to the deprivation of American society?

Although there are many benefits of television, American society has most assuredly been adversely affected by it. Since the birth of television, crime has skyrocketed. Many years ago, problems in school were chewing gum and running in the halls. Now, students fear for their lives as our schools have turned into war zones, with school shootings becoming a national problem. Many attribute this problem to the violence children watch on television. Children have become desensitized concerning the value of human life

Cultures that hinder the freedom of speech through the media many times have the lowest crime rates, as well as the closest family structure. Television has the power to educate and inform. It has the power to ignite a revolution among its citizens. But it also has the power to desensitize citizens concerning that nation’s morality. Societies must come to terms about the pro’s and con’s of such technology. We must weigh in the balance the benefits and the consequences of this form of “free speech.”

Television has softened the moral values and ideals of its viewers. It has the power to preach into our subconscious what its advertisers want you to believe. That is why billions of dollars are spent on advertising. Why? Because it works! Continued saturation by shows that softly depict murder, crime and abuse, sometimes soften our moral stances on important issues. From the stances we take on ecological issues to our religious beliefs, television has the power to effect our own values. This is most notable in children. It has social and economic consequences on families. They watch a show on television, and they begin to want to w

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