Are you blaming the TV for not spending enough quality time with your family? John Rosmond writes:

"A hundred years ago, American families gathered around the hearth in the evenings to share warmth and conversation. As they talked, they gestured with animation and looked one another in the eye. They reminisced, waxed philosophical, recounted family history, and shared dreams. Later, the radio replaced the hearth as the focal point of family activity in the evenings. Where once the family entertained itself, now the wireless did the entertaining. But people still sat facing one another, sharing reactions to what they heard. And when the program was over or the station went off the air, they turned off the radio and talked about what they'd heard. In the 1950s, television replaced radio and everything changed. This new medium required that people look at the screen instead of one another. The family circle became the family row with everyone lined up staring straight ahead, mesmerized by the incessant flicker."

See the complete article at Better Homes and Gardens. They also have a nice "Family" section.

Posted by Susan at 4/30/2003 02:22:59 PM | Link