Did TV make me?

Over the years we have seen a massive shift in Television. At one point in my life I remember the TV being the absolute epicenter of my household. It was where my siblings would be sitting each morning when I woke up, fighting over what to watch. My dad sitting down to watch after work, with my mom cuddled up next to him focused intensely on what the Sopranos were up to this week. Television used to be so much more involved. People would tune into events from all over the world. Millions of views watching the same thing. Where as now events like the Grammys or the Oscars are barely getting a quarter of the views they were used to since they became a thing.

Overtime there has been so many hit TV shows even an attempt at naming some of them seems useless. Though some TV shows left the watcher with much more than just something to watch on your free time. From TV shows emerged peoples entire personalities. People would hear jokes in the new episode of their favorite sitcom, and repeat them at work the next day. Kids would see their favorite character playing football and go to school the next day wanting to try. I really can’t emphasize enough how at one point not many years ago the whole world was obsessed with television. People followed shows on a weekly basis so much so that it almost felt religious.

Though when it comes to my personal relationship with television. It feels as if I’m just a person filled with so much pop culture, so many references, many of which I might not even get. Till this day if you are a big time Family Guy fan, we could probably end up bestfriends. Along with South Park, Rick and Morty, and a few other shows. Now I am aware most of the jokes that come from these shows are extremely offensive, though I don’t just blindly reiterate jokes. It’s more so that my sense of humor seems to have evolved from these shows. Filling my brain with useless references to old songs, or actors, or learning about technology from Seth McFarland or Trey Parkers childhood. All of this information gathering within me to formulate what I find funny.

Overall the life of television is one of the interesting tech phenomenon that my generation has been able to witness. In my earliest years TV and Radio would get me and my family so excited. Cartoons in the morning, weather, traffic, and music in the car on the way to school. Then came the great divide. Social media and the achievements of technology that allowed it to take over. Replacing radio almost completely in many peoples lives, and giving us more than just weekly TV shows to watch. Killing our attention span in the process.

Though it is not the end of television. As there is way to much money invested for it to ever stop. Channels are now pandering to the lowest group they can find. Whether it be MTV showing only ridiculousness all day, or certain news channels spewing hateful garbage. All of it is with hopes of retaining the people that still watch it. OH TV WHERE WILL YOU GO NEXT