The Purpose of Modern Television: To Teach or Not to Teach?

What is the purpose of modern television? It’s hard to imagine life without it. However, in the years before its creation, people often turned to books for entertainment, losing themselves in the vast world of their own imaginations.  Nowadays, however, the ability to actually see those images seems much more appealing, and as a result, television has become a more popular form of amusement.

From week to week, we bask in the hilarity of The Simpsons and marvel at the mysteries of Lost, and in doing so, we strive towards the ultimate end of entertainment.  However, a more thorough examination of these shows might reveal, to some, an intention that goes far beyond a mere distraction from the real world.

Since the days of Socrates and Plato, scholars have debated the purpose of art.  Does art have value in itself, or does it serve some external function?  Depending on the pieces considered, one can make an argument for either case.  When watching television, a viewer will most often evaluate a show based on its entertainment value, which scores points for the “art for art’s sake” side of the equation.

In classic literature, however, a reader will spend time sorting out a swarm of elaborate symbols and metaphors, which may highlight social issues or suggest something about the human condition.  The latter is used as an educational tool in high schools and universities across the world, while the former is largely absent from the classroom.  Does this mean that television has no didactic value?

The fact of the matter is this: every artist has something to say, regardless of his or her medium of expression.  Novels and screenplays are cut from the same cloth, so by choosing the latter as a form of expression, the ability to make keen observations about the world has not been forfeited.  In fact, some of the best episodes of The Simpsons and Lost provide excellent insight into important philosophical issues, and both employ literary devices to great effect, shattering the stereotype that television rots the brain.

For instance, the characters on Lost don’t actually die in the plane crash that begins the show, but since they are granted the opportunity for a second life on their new island home, the crash seems to have killed them symbolically.  This sort of writing is arguably on par with that of great authors like Faulkner, and he’d certainly be proud of the Lost writers for carrying on the tradition.

So, contrary to popular belief, it seems that television has the capacity for more than mere entertainment.  Like classic literature, it makes statements about the world in artful ways, so in many cases, it’s practically academic.  Here’s to hoping that in a few years, The Simpsons and Lost are taught regularly in classrooms across the globe.