Portfolio: Final Exam

Marie Winn, in her writing: "Television: The Plug-In Drug" suggests that with the onset of the television set, family rituals: "that part of family life that the family likes about itself, is proud of and wants formally to continue" has given way to families centering themselves around the television set.

Suggesting that families center themselves entirely around something as artificial as a television set isn't entirely out of the question, but those families that engage in this type of behavior are certainly the exception, and not the rule. I suggest that our culture has blurred the line between the television set and rituals, in that the rituals and the television set are now intertwined.

In addition, Mary Winn, raises the question; "how has mealtime rituals, going to bed rituals, illness rituals, and holiday rituals survived the inroads of the television set?" For many families, those aforementioned rituals are an integral part of their family culture, and are not diminished by the inroads of the television set, rather they are enhanced.

For myself, growing up with an ever present television set, I can confidently attest to how my family upheld mealtime, going-to-bed, illness, and holiday rituals. To illustrate how my family upheld such rituals, I will offer my experiences, supporting my position that rituals have not succumbed to the television set.

I fondly look back upon the times which my family and I would sit around the dinner table, with the television set was on in the background...

Concerning the bedtime ritual: I remember how the television set was used as a reward or punishment. On school nights, watching late night television was out of the question, however, on the weekends depending on my behavior, I might be able to stay up late watching the television.

When I am ill, laying down watching the television set is a must. There is no better remedy for illness than the television set to take your mind off how badly you feel.

Lastly, I will address the holiday ritual and how the television set is an integral part of such ritual. Well, as it is, there are many-a-football-fan in my family and "the game" must be on the television set.

The possible consequences of the television set and the diminishment of rituals isn't a significant concern. Every family has the right to live out their lives in any fashion they so chose and what rituals are upheld in one family are not necessarily carried on in other families.