TV Or No TV?
Concerned over the negative values and influences coming out from television, ustazah Nuridah Mohd Salleh chose not to have a TV set in the house.
The above is an excerpt taken from a news article. Considering that we're in the 21st century, I can hardly accept this statement. As a matter of fact, Malaysians have been debating the issues of TV programmes potraying negative values since the olden days.
TV has been part and parcel of almost everyone's daily lives. With the increasing number of social ills, finger pointing is bound to happen; and what a coincidence some parties have managed to pinpoint the "culprit" - the poor innocent TV.
In my opinion, TV does not cultivate negative values. If it is to be blamed, then we should start looking at our own family institution. I believe the moral and religious upbringing of a child by the parents play a vital role. A person's state of mind must be right too. Throughout the process of learning, we're constantly taught of critical thinking skills, so that we can judge our thoughts and actions. If a child knows what's right and what's wrong; what's good and what's bad, I don't see the problem of interpreting the message from a TV programme and justifying it.
After all, if an ostrich with a brain the size of a pea can think, why can't we justify the the programmes we watch, and differentiate between reality and fantasy? If we are to ban all these sources of entertainment (i.e. TV, Radio, Internet, etc) - considering them the platform to nurture social ills - it will be quite amusing (and pathetic) to see the country moving backward to the Stone Age while others move forward.
So, the next time you start to blame the TV again, remember the ostrich and its pea-size brain.
Labels: Thoughts
