Thinking Outside the Idiot Box

Dana Stevens essay, Thinking turn bring outside the Idiot Box, was first published in Slate on March 25, 2005, is a counter argument to watching TV Makes You Smarter an article written my Steven Johnson that says watching complicated TV shows curb you smarter when in reality youre just watching complicated TV shows. She mainly disagrees with Johnsons opinion that figuring out the complicated plots of the TV shows sharpens ones cognitive skills. In her view, those entangled plots not unaccompanied compel one to watch even more TV, they also break up ones skills to think because some shows overload ones mind with quick-paced facts. Stevens 295-6) She also states that Johnson overlooks the Muslim terrorist and tortures in the show 24. She points out that many people think watching TV is ok specially if its a nature show. Stevens also discusses a trip to the airdrome where she saw quite a few people surrounding a nature showing. The author contemplated whether or not the nature show was pleasant because travelers were still spacing out while watching it, so what is the leaving between violent shows like Animal Face Off which contains bloods sense and gore and a regular nature show is peaceful and entertaining. Stevens 297) She is inquire why spacing out is ever positive A football game in a bar is zapworthy, but spacing out to leopards in the Qantas terminal is A-OK? (Stevens 297). Next she says that children are fresh meat for the merchandise industries by making shows that catch their eye. She is basically claiming that there are many people who are offended by many things, and each person needs to be sensitive to what they play on their TVs. In conclusion, Stevens believes that TV is neither beneficial nor it is harmful for our minds it is only there to entertain us. (298)