Does Watching TV Bring Intelligence?
Can watching TV provide viewers with a form of intelligence? In the article, “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” by Steven Johnson, Johnson argues that watching TV can help increase intelligence and comprehension skills. Although Johnson argues a valid point about more complex shows increasing our comprehension levels, he claims that watching TV makes you smarter and this is not true because not all complex plots lead to higher comprehension, and viewers do not only enjoy complex shows, but do enjoy senseless reality TV shows.
First, complex plots and characters on television can easily test a viewer's comprehension skills. Johnson believes that TV can actually improve these comprehension skills: “You[the viewer] have to focus to follow the plot, and in focusing you’re exercising the parts of your brain that map social networks, that fill in missing information, that connect multiple narrative threads” (292). I believe that Johnson’s opinion makes sense because it takes a higher comprehension level to understand the plot. This can be easily developed by viewing more intellectual shows, but I would argue that complex shows are not the only type that can raise comprehension levels. Basic shows can increase these skills by leaving open ended plots that the viewer can create for himself, therefore, also increasing intelligence. Complex and basic shows can assist with increasing comprehension skills that viewers need to understand the plots.
Next, many of the popular television shows contain complex plots and characters, but these are not the only type of shows that viewers enjoy. Johnson claims that, “Over the last half-century, programming on TV has increased the demands it places on precisely these mental faculties[the complex TV shows]” (280). It may be true that viewers have demanded more complex shows, however viewers have increased demands for all shows, not just “precisely these” (280). I believe that Johnson is incorrect when implying that complex shows are what most viewers desire. Many new “dumb shows” with less complex plots and easy identifiable characters have popped up and have been successful while fulfilling viewers needs.
Finally, many people watch entertaining reality TV shows on a nightly basis. Johnson argues that, “The pleasure in these shows comes not from watching other people being humiliated on national television; but it comes from depositing other people in a complex, high-pressure environment where no established strategies exist and watching them find their bearings” (291). I believe that this statement is incorrect in many ways. Some may watch to see people in complex environments, but many watch to see people pushed to their limits and fail on TV and even embarrass themselves. Another example is the reality TV show “Jersey Shore.” The basis of this show is to watch celebrities live a crazy life with no point to the show. Many viewers tuned in on a weekly basis to see what ridiculous actions they would do next, not what complex situations that they could find there way out of.
In conclusion, Steven Johnson wrote an article titled, “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” about the effects of watching TV and levels of understanding of the show. Johnson argued that watching TV makes viewers smarter. Even though Johnson made the logical point that complex shows could raise comprehension, he claimed watching TV could make you more intelligent and this is incorrect because not all complex plots mean more intelligence, and viewers enjoy not only complex shows, but less complex shows as well.
Works Cited
Johnson, Steven. "Watching TV Makes You Smarter." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 277-294. Print