Television. When the television was introduced in the 1930s, it had a huge affect on the American culture. It represented change and advancement.
Chelsea Osborne
September 7, 2008
ENGL 1050
Cultural Artifact Commentary
Our Culture's "Vision"
There are many artifacts that help define the American culture. One that I believe has had the most influence in the past and will continue to have a huge influence in the future is the television. Nearly every home is equipped with one, and most family rooms are centered around this device. A study in the 1960s said that at one point in time, more homes had a television than indoor plumbing. My husband lived in Mexico for 2 years and said that he would come across houses that had dirt floors and cardboard separating their rooms, but you can be sure they had a television in the center of it all. Growing up, every room in our house had a television. Now, there are homes that have televisions in their bathrooms, in their refrigerators, even in their oven doors (it's true!). There are so many different types of television programs, that everyone is able to gain some type of use from it, which definitely has affected our culture.
When the television was introduced in the 1930s, it had a huge affect on the American culture. It represented change and advancement. Before the television, people only had their radios or newspapers. Now, they were able to match faces with voices, and actually see what was being described during their programs. This also opened up people's eyes to the world around them. Audiences were able to view programs that were set on the other side of the country. They were able to see how different people interacted with one another. They were also able to see how diverse their world was. The television made it possible for people to view emotions and feelings that others were conveying because they could see it on their screens. Now, the television's impact on our culture is much greater. It can be used as a video phone, our computer screen, and to play games. It has become more of a toy than an object. It has become a staple in our society. It used to be a luxury to own a television, now it is a necessity.
September 7, 2008
ENGL 1050
Cultural Artifact Commentary
Our Culture's "Vision"
There are many artifacts that help define the American culture. One that I believe has had the most influence in the past and will continue to have a huge influence in the future is the television. Nearly every home is equipped with one, and most family rooms are centered around this device. A study in the 1960s said that at one point in time, more homes had a television than indoor plumbing. My husband lived in Mexico for 2 years and said that he would come across houses that had dirt floors and cardboard separating their rooms, but you can be sure they had a television in the center of it all. Growing up, every room in our house had a television. Now, there are homes that have televisions in their bathrooms, in their refrigerators, even in their oven doors (it's true!). There are so many different types of television programs, that everyone is able to gain some type of use from it, which definitely has affected our culture.
When the television was introduced in the 1930s, it had a huge affect on the American culture. It represented change and advancement. Before the television, people only had their radios or newspapers. Now, they were able to match faces with voices, and actually see what was being described during their programs. This also opened up people's eyes to the world around them. Audiences were able to view programs that were set on the other side of the country. They were able to see how different people interacted with one another. They were also able to see how diverse their world was. The television made it possible for people to view emotions and feelings that others were conveying because they could see it on their screens. Now, the television's impact on our culture is much greater. It can be used as a video phone, our computer screen, and to play games. It has become more of a toy than an object. It has become a staple in our society. It used to be a luxury to own a television, now it is a necessity.