Books VS Television

My brother and I are pretty different. When we were younger, we'd both get in trouble for not playing outside, but I'd be locked in my room with a book and he'd be planted in front of the television for hours.


Now there are quite a few television shows that I really enjoy, but at the same time so many that make me question the general level of intelligence of Americans. For example, Planet Earth is awesome, Wipeout makes me concerned for the future of our country. It seems like if you want to watch a program that makes you think, whether it is a documentary, drama or comedy, you need to have access to cable channels. The general channels seem to host a majority of the shows that are overall, just plain stupid. 

I thought these quotes on the relationship between books and television were pretty dead-on: 

"The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television." —Andrew Ross

"I find television to be very educating.  Every time somebody turns on the set, I go in the other room and read a book." —Groucho Marx


"If you read a lot of books, you're considered well-read.  But if you watch a lot of TV, you're not considered well-viewed."  —Lily Tomlin

(books via NY Times)