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that's the context in which he learned
the words.
Of course vocabulary is only one
aspect of the problem.
Learning More than Meets
the Eye
No one can deny that the past severa!
ycars havc seen a rapid growth in tcle–
vision programs of special intercst to
young children. Nor can it be dcnied
that each, in its own way, makes some
attcmpt to teach useful conccpts. Never–
theless, each has weaknesses and perhaps
the difficulty most often arises more
from inappropriatc technique than
f
rom
inten
t.
For example, do we really know what
a child is learning as he watchcs strangc,
fantastic, unreal creatures talking with
humans or dcvouring the aJphabet bit
by bit to a background of dizzyiog psy–
chedelic color and sound? Is this real!y
a sound educational procedure in thc
long run?
Sorne might argue that he really has
lcarned his letters and that's probably
right. But what erroneous impression
of the world and human relationships
might he have Jearned aJong with the
ABC's?
We
don't know-yet!
Let's face the facts. It's no great
accomplishment if childrcn learn the
alphabet under such conditions. Children
will !caro in spite of everything. No
doubt, we could teach counting by
showing a slow motion sequence of
bullet boles appearing in Bonnie and
Clyde's car door too, but why? Why
cause confusion? Why muddy a child's
mind with a lot of disjointed back–
ground static? Maybe
you
ought to
think about it.
Source of D iscootent, Cynicism
and Distrust
Virtually from the cradle, cbildren
are exposed to incessant and insistent
TV messages expertly designed by mar–
keting pros and psychologists. Immature
minds are carefully conditioned to an
attitude of compulsive consumption.
Na'ive and lacking in discernment,
children are defenseless against this
appealing onslaught. So, day by day,
year by year they are molded. Wide–
eyed and innocent, they are magically
transported through "breakfast-food-
1'he
PLA1N TRUTII
land" all sugared and popped wilh a
prize in each and every package. Then
on to thc plastic fantasy world of "toy–
land". And at last, by early adolescence
they have arrived at "sex-and-glamour–
land." This is the ultimatc destination.
This is "cotton-candy-junctioo" where
the kids are iovited to gct off and live.
This is thc many-splcnclored world
whcre ncarly anything you put in your
mouth, pat on your face, or rub in your
hair is guarantccd to give you "sex
appeal," "pucker power," or to make
you a "mind-sticker"!
Well , youngstcrs don't remain utterly
gullible forever. They finaUy suspect
that FCC Commissioner Nicholas John–
son may have been right when he said,
"Television does to your mind what cot–
ton candy does to your body. It attracts
your attention, makes you want it, and
then leaves you with nothing but an
empty fceling and a toothache"
(The
New Rep11blir,
Dccember 6, 1969, p.
17).
The truth bcgins to dawn, and by
teen-age most have wiscd up to find
that they havc really beco living
in "nowhcre-land"! They soon have
cnough disappointments with pimples,
cavities and bad breath to realize that
soap X, toothpaste Y, and mouthwash
Z don't change a thing. And it is a bit–
ter pill when they finally discover that
none of lhese things, nor cigarettes, nor
beer lead to glorious, romantic fulfill–
ment like the commercials promise.
AH
the spectacular claims and bewitching
enticements are soon disproved - just
so much tarnished, shabby, hypocritical
phoniness.
The unfortunate but indelible lesson
that is lcarned in these formative years
in front of the tclevision is one of
dis–
content,
gnawing
distmsl,
and a corro–
sive
cynicism
-
negative attitudes that
warp character and shrivel personalities.
This is the inevitable backlash against a
synthetic TV world based on commer–
ciaJ deception.
Stereotyped Lessons
in
Living
Television is supposed to be the
"now" medium, the "tell-it-like-it-is"
medium. Television is said to bring the
real
world right into your living room.
No doubt it could, but it mostly
doesn't. Instead, interminable hours of
March, 1970
romanticized and
f
oc brutal ized, stereo–
typed, kcyhole fantasies flood across
the TV screen with mind-deadening
monotony. And the great tragedy is
that from this saturation dosage are
formed youthful attitudes toward nearly
every facct of life.
Whether about education, mak
female sex roles, courtship, marriage,
family relations, business, or you name
it, television's stereotypes of life grind
on endlessly.
But what is being Jearned? Just what
are these lessons?
Teachers Are Squares–
School's a Bore
Take school teachers for example.
How many times have
you
seen male
tcachers portrayed as incompetent, effem–
inate, scatterbrains who are ill at
case around women - just pathetic
nincompoops? Or perhaps just as often
they may be vindictive childhaters -
bitter and cynical. And what about
women teachers? Aren't they usually
cast as classic waspish spinstcrs who
are frustrated, unfulfilled, and unhappy?
Yes, that's the unfortunate TV stereo–
type. LESSON:
Teachen are eccentric
misfits
-
sq11ares that /ife
ha.r
passed
by. Besides, thefre
0111
to get yo11.
How often have you seen schools rep–
resented in a desirable light? Not often.
It is rare indeed when school is pictured
as anything but a backdrop for a series
of violent confrontations, superimposed
over unbearable boredom, lack of
understanding, and irrelevance. LES–
SON:
School doem't relate lo real life
so drop
011.t
and
tmn on.
And what about the serious student?
He usually appears just a bit queer- a
bespectacled egghead. More often than
not he is the butt of practica! jokes and
the only way he can redeem himself is
to takc off his glasses, throw away his
books and become a football hero! LES–
SON:
Mttscle makes the scme, bttt
books are bad news.
Happiness Is Being Young and
Sexy - Marriage I s a D r ag
.But that's not all. TV stereotypes are
also teaching youngsters lessons which
affect their view of themselves, of the
opposite sex, and of adult life.
For example, ask the television tutor,