Mindless reality shows...

article by:stacia_doss.

Last weekend, I attended a St. Louis Rams game...they won, too. My method of transportation to the game, though, is what started my thoughts running wild with imaginings of possibility.

A lady sitting behind me on the train I rode to and back from the Edward Jones dome on was having a conversation with the woman seated beside her about puzzles. (Sudoku, to be exact.)

She said that puzzles keep her mind fresh, and went on to say that all television does is "rot the mind". Her abstinence from TV,"mindless reality shows", etc. and total focus on doing puzzles, in her view, was what made her feel intelligent.

As everything else was said between the two women rambling on about puzzles faded out of my head, I sat and thought..is television rotting our minds?

I have become victim to having a schedule at least two days out of the week that "my shows" air on television. Tuesday nights consist of Glee and Teen Mom, while Thursday nights include Grey's Anatomy and Jersey Shore.

But can we really say that all television, including reality shows, does is rot the mind? I certainly don't think so.

We could, though, take the time and read a book or two, and live a little more instead of planning schedules around what is coming on television that we cannot bear to miss.

According to research, the happiest people spend 30% less time parked in front of the tube.

But, in defense of reality shows, some of those featured on television can show you issues, you otherwise would have never learned about.

MTV's True Life highlights issues that Americans have daily from obesity to body dysmorphia..even soldiers returning from Iraq. You can't hear those types of things and see the emotions reading a book.

When the lady's voice finally faded back into my mind after all of these thoughts, she said "I don't know very much about what's going on in the world, though, when I hear people discuss it at work."

I ask you, would you rather be clueless about issues going on in the world or puzzle-less? Find the median.