Since the television was invented several decades ago, it has invaded deeply into our lives. In Korea, a television is one of most important preparations of a couple for marrage. Along with other reasons including burden and stress of hard work, I think the television significantly interrupted the communication between loved people in modern society.
To begin with, the television is passive medium. It can emit stiumuls and information but cannot accept any responses from people. People only can receive the things coming out from the television and there is nothing they can alter about the program. This unbalanced transit of information can make people to get used to only taking the stimulus and people are becoming passive. Therefore, people are feeling unconfortable with communication, which is balanced exchange of information. The extreme example can be found in the babies whose mothers are workers in Korea from Asian countries of the third world. Because the mothers are so busy and their Korean is limited, they let the babies watch the television all the day at home. However, the children could not learn how to speak through the television and their Korean never improved. Since the language is a repsrentative part of communication, it is clear that the television cannot improve but worsen the communication skill.
In addition, the television took the time when people usually spent with their family and friends. According to one survey, people are spending their spare time more on watching televisions and the time sharing with family is decreasing. Just think about when you watch the television. Eventhough you stay with your family, there is nothing you do with your family. All of your family literally watch the television without saying even a word to each other. Communication is the process of exchanging your knowledge, thoughts, feelings and emotions with other people and this is mainly mediated by talking. Because the television inhibited talking between you and your loved people, the communication was badly destoryed.
In short, the television made people to be passive and to lose communication skills, and also took family time in the modern society. Therefore, I believe this casued the destruction of communication between friends and family. |