Values, Society and Talk Shows In America today it is hard to find someone that hasn?t seen a talk show such as Jerry Springer or Ricki Lake. Talk shows like these have been extremely successful at catching the attention of the public. Even if someone is not a regular viewer, there are more likely than not very aware of what takes place on these shows. At first glance, these talk shows seem like ridiculous mockeries set up to make fun of people with dysfunctional families or various personal problems but most of these shows attempt to portray that they are attacking real issues among Americans. Whatever their true intentions are true intentions are, talk shows display a high amount of people admitting to acts that are far less than commendable. It is possible that this popular display is effecting the values of people in our society. In this essay I plan to ask and answer the question ?Are popular talk shows lowering the values and expectations of people in our society today?? First, I would like to discuss the likely hood that people are affected by what they see on television.
English: Jerry Springer at a Hudson Union Society ...
Springer giving a speech at Emory University in 20...
Show host Jerry SpringerHow much of an affect does television have on the way people feel and act? In ?The Psychology of Television?, John Condry states that ?The overall conclusion of these and of many other reviewers is unequivocal. Viewing violent drama on television makes people more violent than they would have been if they had not been exposed to such material.? (pg 88) He also states that ?There is a strong positive relationship between viewing violence on television and, at sometime later, acting violently? (115) Condry later states that ?Television not only influences how we feel and act -what we do- it also influences what we think and understand about the...