Past GT essay - Some people say television contributes more than other modern inventions to the quality of life of ordinary people. Do you agree or disagree?

There is probably no greater influence on social issues and society itself than the television. It has become arguably the greatest invention of the past century. There is no doubt that it has significantly changed the life of the ordinary man. Other inventions such as the radio, the internet and cell phone also have affected man, but TV has an edge over all these.

With TV, people have witnessed countless historical events: Inaugurations of presidents; man’s first steps on the moon; even disasters as they happen. We watch TV in the morning to receive the daily news. We eat watching it. We watch it before they go to bed. Thus the television eats up most of the time we get to stay at home. What is more, the advertisements succeed in giving rise to strong materialistic wants in us, which must be one of the reasons why we are becoming increasingly consumerist.

Radio, can be accessed in a variety of situations. We listen to radio while we dress and eat in the morning, commute to and from work, perform work or study, have meals and so on. Radio news reporters can provide live, local coverage in a timely manner. However, the television has an edge over radio as it combines both sight and sound, which are the two major human senses for communication, and is therefore more appealing. With the appearance of all-news cable television networks, it is now possible to bring news coverage of important global events instantaneously.

The internet is the newest source of news and is fast becoming popular among the computer literate sections of society. However, its usage depends on availability and affordability. Therefore TV has more impact on people. The youth are the most influenced by the Internet. The social network sites on the internet have made it possible for the youth to have the widest circle of friends. However, for all other segments of society, the TV has the maximum impact.

To sum up, it can be said that television has changed the life of the ordinary man beyond recognition. All other inventions also have their effect but TV is above all of them.