Do you think television, to a large extent, controls the masses and shapes our thinking and beliefs and 'occupies' us so we are too apathetic and cultivated to ever think outside the box?

[Overmydeadbody]

Because I do, and it is begining to bug me how controlling television can be on someone who watches a lot of it.

It shapes so much of our thinking and force feeds us images of the ideal way to live every damn aspect of our lives.

Sometimes I wonder what we, as a civilisation, would be like without the cultivating medium of television.

is there such a word aqs impassioned it looks bloody weird written down...

Broadly speaking, I think I agree with OP.

I feel (happily, mostly) very out of touch with popular culture just because I barely ever watch tv (even though I listen to radio lots and pick up some pop culture stuff from online fora).

all mediums need to assessed carefully as all all capable of positive/negative

tv isnt necesatily trsh eye wash for masses
martina cole, Jodi picoulyt books don't equate to deep intellectual stimuli

dog's got talent/celeb's washing the dishes etc.

hardly great tv

be discerning

switch off what you don't like