Turn it Off

Persuasive Essay Draft 1

Turn it Off

Why are people so addicted to television? It’s never real life and the interesting things that people watch habitually do not do anything good for you. Sure you may watch the news or some health or history shows, but people are constantly watching unimportant shows that are fine in moderation, but no one ever watches in moderation. All of this extra television is doing nothing for our minds, our bodies, or our time. People everywhere need to cut back on their addiction to television and focus on the more important things in life.

            Watching television and movies is a fun pastime. It’s a nice way to relax after a hard day or week of work and it doesn’t require any effort. You can also multitask while watching television and it may keep things interesting or fun. Using television as a reward is a good use. The bad effects of television come when people, especially children, make a habit of watching television instead of doing other important things like getting their work done or exercising. TV can be a very distracting activity that causes time to fly by without you knowing it. One minute you have all night to do things and the next your whole night it gone and you’ve accomplished nothing. When you need a break, it’s good to relax, but don’t give into the temptation of “just one more episode” because it’s never just one. You get hooked and then you can’t turn it off and you relaxation ended up causing you more stress. If you discipline yourself to get your work done first and then relax when you have the time and nothing else to so, your life will be so much more organized and relaxed. I have recently sworn off TV until my schedule cools down, and I feel much more control now. Sure it was very hard for me at first because I literally have nine shows that I try and stay up-to-date on from week to week, but I figure that they will still be available for me to watch when I have the time and freedom to do so. It really isn’t that hard to discipline yourself; you just have to commit.

            Saturday morning cartoons used to be a coveted time. Kids would watch their favorite cartoons and then go play outside. Now, kids watch their favorite cartoons all the time, and hardly ever go outside to play. Instead of running outside and playing with their neighborhood friends, kids today watch TV and then talk about it at school. This television distracts them from their learning and causes kids to become antisocial and anti-active. Children today are overweight. The main factor of that is children don’t go crazy outdoors anymore. They stay inside, watch TV, and eat not because they are hungry but because they are bored. Kids are so focused on the shows they watch, they don’t build relationships outside of their home. Children also substitute movies for books now. Instead of the joy of reading a book, kids watch TV and get their imagination (or lack thereof) from that. Kids today are missing out on the joys of being a kid. Just turn off your television and participate in reality.(540 words)