A Nation of vidiots by Jeffrey Sachs

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Article Analysis
Title: A Nation of Vidiots.
Author: Jeffrey D. SachSource: Project Syndicate.org
A Nation of Vidiots is a brief history of the use of television in America. The author traces the growth in the use of television to have grown over the period progressively. The American population is the highest user of television in the world. The consumption of television has come with its fair share of disadvantages that have led to a shift in the way people view the world, often with their views being shaped by the opinions of the television. The television has been key in influencing different trends. The social effects of its culture are that many people end up being stressed depending on the hours that they spend watching. Instead of getting pleasure they end up being more stressed. Also, the television hinders people from having direct social interactions which in turn lowers the social capital of the society (Sach 1). It is through physical interaction, rather than through the television that people get to know each other. It often affects the mental and physical health of individuals, as people become lazy and are drained emotionally. The political cost of television is that politicians use it to advertise their policies and negative ads that end up informing voting patterns (Sach 2). Other aspects of the nation that are influenced by television are the foreign policy decisions, such as war. Television has been used to spread propaganda and create certain opinions on what is right in the political front.

Economically, it has been used as a capitalistic tool that entrenches the aspects of consumerism, and identification with given products. So, the tools of control are in the hands of a few who use the television to create certain impressions.
Work Cited
Sach, D.Jeffrey. A Nation of Vidiots. Project Syndicate.org