What do the kids watch on television these days ? What does anyone watch on television these days ? I would have to say I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to that. I just don't know anymore. I have a few favorites that I watch over and over. Very few new shows appeal to me. I'm not sure why that is. Guess I'm just an old fuddy duddy ! I started losing interest about the time of Survivor and that genre of show came along. Big brother ? And an seemingly endless string of CSI shows. To be frank about it, I don't care who did what or how they did it. But I do wonder what the kids watch. The ones say twelve to sixteen or so. What is there that is appropriate for them ? Well, the fact is even that has changed dramatically since I was that age. It is pretty much anything goes these days. So maybe I am better off not knowing what the kids are watching. I stick to watching the evening news, the big bang theory, and the history channel. I just started getting a new channel that plays all the old shows. Andy Griffith, The Big Valley, Have Gun will Travel and the like. You remember those, when television was entertaining.
This thought came to mind yesterday when an old acquaintance of mine posted a meme about fighting. I don't recall exactly what it said, but it reminded me of something I heard Lucas McCain, of The Rifleman show, tell his son Mark. He said, Mark a real man doesn't run to a fight, but he doesn't run from one either ! Words of wisdom that I carry with me to this day. Back in those days you often heard sage advice like that. Father knows best and Leave it to Beaver taught life lessons while entertaining you. Those kids were always doing something you could relate to. They didn't get in as much " trouble " as you did and their parents didn't spank, but you knew that was television. Television Dads are a bit more understanding and wise, although you wouldn't dare say that out loud. Now, real world Dads wanted you to learn the same lessons that were being taught in those shows, they just didn't have the same patience as Mr. Cleaver or Pa on little house. Well at least mine didn't and didn't find too much humor in my antics.
Are there any lessons you remember learning from those old shows ? Yes, I guess they were a bit corny and unrealistic but they entertained. Good always won out over evil. Seldom was anyone fatally shot, except when they needed shooting that is. The women folk were treated with respect and given special consideration. Well there were exceptions. Victoria Barkly and Miss Audra were routinely mistreated by criminals on the Big Valley. Usually they ended up forgiving those criminals though. Those shows were all about teaching us a lesson. There were a reflection of what we were being taught at home. I don't think it is that way anymore. Like I said, I don't know what the kids are watching these days. Do you think television is as big an influence as it was back when we were kids ? I'm thinking that it is not. Social media and the internet have taken over that position. My heroes were on the " small " screen. I watched them in my living room in black and white. The messages were always black and white. Right and wrong, good vs evil. Right was right, always. Good always prevailed in the end. Sometimes all that was needed was a prayer. We said goodnight with The Waltons. Hard work, believing in yourself, and prayer. Those were the lessons being taught. You had to do for yourself before you could do for anyone else. That was the noblest of causes, doing for others with no expectation of return. Independence is fundamental thing to being an American, and you have to be independent to be that !
We called it the boob tube, but was it really ? In some ways yes I suppose it was. In other ways it may have been a form of subliminal messaging. I know I learned some things from those shows. I learned about diversity and different cultures. We watched the variety shows and was introduced to many things through that medium. I can remember seeing those " Beatles " on the Ed Sullivan show. Bunch of long haired freaks ! Mom and Dad couldn't believe it. That was countered with the Lawrence Welk Show, wholesome family entertainment. But somewhere along the line the focus shifted to generating revenue. We all know what really sells. The internet is full of that ! Ah, but it has always been so and that will never change. There is always reruns !
This thought came to mind yesterday when an old acquaintance of mine posted a meme about fighting. I don't recall exactly what it said, but it reminded me of something I heard Lucas McCain, of The Rifleman show, tell his son Mark. He said, Mark a real man doesn't run to a fight, but he doesn't run from one either ! Words of wisdom that I carry with me to this day. Back in those days you often heard sage advice like that. Father knows best and Leave it to Beaver taught life lessons while entertaining you. Those kids were always doing something you could relate to. They didn't get in as much " trouble " as you did and their parents didn't spank, but you knew that was television. Television Dads are a bit more understanding and wise, although you wouldn't dare say that out loud. Now, real world Dads wanted you to learn the same lessons that were being taught in those shows, they just didn't have the same patience as Mr. Cleaver or Pa on little house. Well at least mine didn't and didn't find too much humor in my antics.
Are there any lessons you remember learning from those old shows ? Yes, I guess they were a bit corny and unrealistic but they entertained. Good always won out over evil. Seldom was anyone fatally shot, except when they needed shooting that is. The women folk were treated with respect and given special consideration. Well there were exceptions. Victoria Barkly and Miss Audra were routinely mistreated by criminals on the Big Valley. Usually they ended up forgiving those criminals though. Those shows were all about teaching us a lesson. There were a reflection of what we were being taught at home. I don't think it is that way anymore. Like I said, I don't know what the kids are watching these days. Do you think television is as big an influence as it was back when we were kids ? I'm thinking that it is not. Social media and the internet have taken over that position. My heroes were on the " small " screen. I watched them in my living room in black and white. The messages were always black and white. Right and wrong, good vs evil. Right was right, always. Good always prevailed in the end. Sometimes all that was needed was a prayer. We said goodnight with The Waltons. Hard work, believing in yourself, and prayer. Those were the lessons being taught. You had to do for yourself before you could do for anyone else. That was the noblest of causes, doing for others with no expectation of return. Independence is fundamental thing to being an American, and you have to be independent to be that !
We called it the boob tube, but was it really ? In some ways yes I suppose it was. In other ways it may have been a form of subliminal messaging. I know I learned some things from those shows. I learned about diversity and different cultures. We watched the variety shows and was introduced to many things through that medium. I can remember seeing those " Beatles " on the Ed Sullivan show. Bunch of long haired freaks ! Mom and Dad couldn't believe it. That was countered with the Lawrence Welk Show, wholesome family entertainment. But somewhere along the line the focus shifted to generating revenue. We all know what really sells. The internet is full of that ! Ah, but it has always been so and that will never change. There is always reruns !
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