Computers versus Television

While in the 80s parents were worried about the television affecting them, the turn of the century has bought up issues about how the computer seems to have taken over our lives. However, experts do argue that the computer is a very intelligent machine and that while we go to the television to switch off our brains, we go to the computer to switch in on.

The question now is whether the computer is as harmful as the television or not. Let’s take a look in some pointers related to this discussion:

• Eye sight – When it comes to eye sight, there is no question that the glare from the computer can be as harmful if not more so than the glare from the TV. Most of us will sit much closer to the screen of the computer while the distance between television and the viewer is mostly much larger. This means that the computer can hurt our eyes much more. It is therefore important that those of us who use the computer for long hours use and anti-glare screen so as to protect the eyes from damage.
• Intellectual stimulation- When it comes to intellectual challenges the computer is leaps and bounds ahead of the television. Despite the fact that the television has become interactive lately, the computer continues to lead here. Almost everything today has a web presence and computers are an integral part of our everyday lives. Right from interactive study options for kindergarten kids to business planning for high placed company executives, the computer is intellectually stimulating them all.
• Dangerous exposure – There are certain programs on TV that can be considered damaging for kids and this is why the parental control feature is present in almost all TVs today. However, it is true that the computer, in fact, the internet specifically, does host a lot of material that can be considered inappropriate for kids to be exposed to. Controlling this exposure is not an as easy task as it is on the TV. The material on the net is definitely vast and it can sometimes be very lethal too. Internet chats have often lead to crimes. In addition, a lot of fraud happens over the internet.
• Work potential – The television is simply a means of entertainment for us, but the computer has proven that it is a work tool that has boundless potential. It does work as an entertainment option too but today it is used more for making our work simpler and easier. Indeed the computer does win hands down over the television in this aspect.

Comparing the computer and television is like comparing oranges and apples. Today the two have merged in a lot of ways due to the fact that the Internet is a tool for both the television and computers. The future is likely to blur the lines between these two devices even more, and hopefully we will be able to minimize the damage of these gadgets and take their advantages to an all new high.