What Killed America Pt. 2 (The Subtle Placement Of Television In The Home.)

 

The 1950s had arrived, and America was entering a strange new era.

On the surface, the nation appeared stronger and happier than ever. The economy was booming, new homes were being built, families were growing, and millions of baby boomers were enjoying a childhood filled with prosperity. Now before we talk about television, let's first establish what kind of life could be expected in the early 1950s.

Overseas, communism was rapidly spreading. The Soviet Union had developed an atomic bomb, China had fallen under communist control, and American soldiers were soon fighting another war in Korea. These events left families in fear of a massive nuclear war.

Simultaneously, America was also dealing with its racial divisions. Black Americans who had fought for America overseas returned to a country where segregation remained. Early civil rights efforts were gaining attention, and racial tensions were steadily rising. These struggles would eventually develop into a major movement in the 1960s.

While all this was happening, something else was rising greatly in the American home.

Television.

In 1945, televisions were found in only about 0.02 percent of American homes. Just ten years later, approximately 65 percent of American households owned one. In a single decade, television went from being in around 7,000 homes to over 30 million!  

Now I'm not saying television itself is bad. Certainly not. The problem I see is the placement of the television within the American home. 

At first, television did not appear to be a threat to the American home. Much of its content was clean, wholesome, and entertaining. Children watched shows such as The Lone Ranger and cartoons such as Looney Tunes. Dragnet presented police officers arresting criminals and upholding the law, while Father Knows Best and later Leave It to Beaver portrayed homes with responsible fathers, stay-at-home mothers, and a family that loved each other. Compared with the television of today, many of the shows of the 1950s were morally clean. The problem was not necessarily what television was showing America at the time. The greater danger was that television was establishing itself as a huge influence within the home. Once America gave it that trust, whoever controlled the television could eventually control the mindset, beliefs, and values of the next generation.

“What we intake consciously or subconsciously affects and produces a mindset. It produces a perspective whether you realize it or not. And it shapes who we are as a person, the way we think. It becomes our worldview. It begins to shape and mold our philosophy. It begins to shape and mold our view of morality.” - Joshua Gimenez, “The Subconscious Mind Mold,” Sandy Creek Stirrings, Ep. 345 

Once television got into the American home, it now held the power to affect the family like never before.

"Here’s the thing you need to realize. Media mass communication is not just a what. It’s not just a TV show or a movie or a podcast; a who is behind it. Somebody is producing it. Somebody’s mindset. Somebody’s philosophy. Somebody’s worldview is being put into that product. We have to understand that." - Joshua Gimenez, “The Subconscious Mind Mold,” Sandy Creek Stirrings, Ep. 345

As the rise of television began to happen, it gradually became the center of the family's life. Soon, time spent reading or playing together turned into watching whatever the television was showing, from news and cartoons to soap operas. On the surface, television was wholesome entertainment, but behind the scenes it was building the trust of nearly every American family.

Now you might ask, how was television building trust in the home?

One way is the fact that the baby boomers were the first generation to be under the constant influence of television. Whether we like it or not, television is a huge influencer. Their understanding of happiness, success, beauty, family, rebellion, and morality was increasingly influenced by what they watched.

Television is not inherently evil, but I'm rather pointing out that in the early 1950s, it gained a powerful foothold in the door of many American homes. This placement let television have influence and control in the minds of families, which is a dangerous thing.

As Christians, we too have a great responsibility to guard our hearts and minds from the influence of the world. Our lives should not revolve around the things of this world but rather the things of God.

Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” 

While television is ever-popular in today's society, we still have to guard what comes into our homes and minds. Our entertainment must be carefully inspected by the principles found in God's Word.

Now television can be theorized to be dangerous, but only time can give us the real answer. And sadly, that answer came sooner rather than later as it affected the rebellious culture of the late 1950s.