Fighting over the TV Remote Control: Is it a life or death issue in your household?
Author: Vigdis S. Aas Added Time:
A stunning story appeared in the news recently. A 24-year-old man shot his stepfather five times, simply because the stepfather asked for the TV remote control. Obviously, this person has more serious problems than a addiction to TV (although he might serve well as a poster child for TV addiction).I am sure many people would shake their heads and wag their fingers disparagingly at this young man. However....
Raise your hand, if you remember fighting over the TV remote as a child? As an adult?
Be honest.
I did. I have many not-so-fond memories of bickering and squabbling over the TV remote with my two little sisters. My turn! No mine! You already watched your show! Your show is stupid! Is not! Is too! It's my turn! No fair!
Every kid I knew in those days had these disputes too.
TV's Bicker Factor
For some reason, it seems to be an integral part of the TV experience. Watching TV = fighting over the remote control. I am not sure why this would be the case. It is just one of those crazy aspects of TV watching. Extra TV's do not always help either. Then the bickering often switches to who gets to watch on the biggest or the best TV.
It's also one of those things that no one seems to question. However, consider this. Why would people fight so much over a chance to stare at a piece of furniture? What is it about TV that causes this reaction? Sure, the man who shot his stepfather over the remote had other serious problems. However, what about the rest of us? What's everyone else's excuse?
Something About TV
I think this problem may be deeper than most people realize. I remember noticing when I was experimenting with limiting TV that the kids fought less on the days when they were not watching TV. Their behavior improved even more the longer the TV was OFF. This was not just over the remote. This was in general. They would find something to bicker about. I am not sure why this is the case. Maybe aliens are beaming "you will fight with your family" messages into TV sets. Maybe TV is somehow irritating to the system, even though the TV lulls viewers into a relaxed, hypnotic trance.
I further observed that while they did not necessarily fight while they were engrossed in a show, they definitely fought when there was an interruption or their program ended. Likewise, the man who shot his stepfather, did it after his stepfather asked for the remote. It appears that once the trance is broken, viewers become irritated, some more than others.
Violent content makes problem worse
Of course, violent content makes this problem worse. Most of the studies that look at TV's effect on violent behavior just look at the violent content of programs. Naturally, the studies find that violent TV programs make people more violent.
However, there seems to be something more going on that is inherent to the medium of television. The bicker factor was one of the main reasons I decided to get rid of our family TV. It wasn't a fancy study that changed my mind, just good old-fashioned observation.
Katherine Westphal is the founder of Trash Your TV which examines the effects of TV violence. Get in control of your TV addiction today.
