Cracked looks at studies that have compared the amount of time people spend watching TV and the differences between those who watch a lot and those who don't. The results show that watching more TV over years make folks more likely to commit violent acts, gain weight, and have short attention spans. But the news isn't all bad.
The article is surprisingly SFW. Link
Using a combination of four studies, scientists have shown that television shows can instill a sense of belonging in people with low self-esteem who have been rejected by friends or family. This is called the social surrogacy hypothesis, which figures that in order to fill the emotional void of social deprivation, a person will establish relationships with fictional characters (as teenagers, many of us had a similar type of relationship with late-night Cinemax).
One study showed that subjects who were experiencing feelings of loneliness felt better after turning on their favorite television programs. Another had subjects writing essays about either their favorite shows or some other random subject as a control. The subjects who wrote about their favorite shows used fewer words expressing loneliness than the control group.
The article is surprisingly SFW. Link
Do you really want to be "programmed" by corporate Media?
My wife and I got rid of tv 12 years ago, now compared to our friends we have far more time and a much wider variety of information, news and entertainment sources.
One fact often overlooked is the TV lowers self-esteem by exposing one to some of the very best in various fields. While one might imagine competing with local singers, dancers, comedians et al., competing with national champions is unimaginable.
I only have two of the eight. I am overweight and I do have a short attention span, and only one of those I can blame on TV. The other I have to blame on those 2000 calorie lunchable packs I used to eat.