Here is an excellent letter-to-the-editor

San Francisco Chronicle, December 4th, 2008

Editor – The article, “Skimping on Ethics?” does not address one of the underlying reasons for increased plagiarism by students’ “borrowing” material from sources like the Internet.

 

I think it has a direct correlation to the influence of electronic visual media, such as TV, replacing more imaginative activities like reading. Students do not adequately develop their inner voices to confidently and creatively express themselves in writing. Thus, the temptation to copy someone else overcomes the inherent joy of self-expression.

 

This is a serious problem because writing and reading – not video-watching and TV – are still the foundation of our education system. As a former evaluator of essay-type tests from students around the country, I was appalled at the abject caliber of their writing.

 

What can adults do? Model good behavior for youth by reading and turning off the TV.

 

FREDERICK BEIDERBECKE

 

Rancho Cordova

Booktree

Originally uploaded by ulle.b

An amazing bookstore booktree, found in Lloyds Of Kew in London, England.

Image used under a Creative Commons license from ulle.b

I wish I had a long list of Anti-TV novels to review. Unfortunately, I could only find four:

 “Feed”

 “The TV Kid”

 “Fahrenheit 451″

 “Television”

Also, honorable mention to “The Traveler“, a thriller which mentions TV as a form of social control to be rejected by those in the know.

If you know of any others, please let me know!

- “Feed” by  M.T. Anderson   -  As a Science-Fiction aficionado, my favorite was “Feed”. This novel takes place in the future when TV and the internet have combined and are fed directly into the minds of the characters. This technological advance was supposed to make everyone smarter, but instead the most popular show is “Oh? Wow! Thing!”

- “The TV Kid” by Betsy Byars  -  is a much more gentle and light-hearted book than Feed. The main character Lennie loves TV. It takes an adventure for Lennie to learn the importance of life and friendship outside of TV.

- “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury  -  is another novel set in the future. This book is often studied in high school and is usually described as a cautionary tale about censorship. But Ray Bradbury himself …says the culprit in Fahrenheit 451 is not the state — it is the people. Unlike Orwell’s 1984, in which the government uses television screens to indoctrinate citizens, Bradbury envisioned television as an opiate.

- “Television” by Jean-Philippe Toussaint  -  is an extremely well-written book that unfortunately doesn’t have much of a plot. Basically this novel is about a writer who spends the summer putting off writing a historical book & instead explores life without TV. (Hmm, wonder how this book came about…)

Novels, even though they are fictional can convey powerful political messages (for both good and evil).

Traditionally the power of fiction was understood, this was partly why Literature used to be considered an essential subject for the well-educated scholar.

This was also why book-banning was not unheard of. People understood that books (even, or especially fictional books) could challenge the established order. And could also encourage and glorify people’s worst vices.

What a contrast to TV & movies.

Pointing out a moral failing of a TV/movie is dismissed as hopelessly old fashioned. Shows like “24” and “Dexter” are defended as “just fiction”. Meanwhile these same critics are happy to point out where a TV/movie promotes women’s rights and racial harmony and happily speculate on their benign effects on society.

Examples of influential Novels:

- “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the best-selling novel of the 19th century (according to Wikipedia) and helped convince a huge number of Americans that slavery is wrong. This book became very important to the abolitionist movement.

- The novels of Ayn Rand became bibles of the Objectivist Movement.

- “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” illustrated the cruel conditions in the Soviet Union.

- “The Turner Diaries” became a bible of the white supremacists and an inspiration to Timothy McVeigh

- The novels of Jean-Paul Sartre became essential reading for Existentialists.

- “Left Behind Series“ is a very popular and influential series of novels that make theological arguments about the nature of God.

And as a Science Fiction Fan, I’d like to point out:

- Feminist Science Fiction

- Libertarian Science Fiction

- Social Science Fiction

Update: Intestesting article in Scientific American Mind:

Our love for telling tales reveals the workings of the mind 

Update: Intestesting article in Psychology Today:

Happily Ever After. Fictional tales that surround a “just world” may influence belief in the fairness of the real world.

Update: Intestesting article in SixWise

Those Who Read Fiction Better at Reading People

Update: Intestesting Study

Fiction Improves ‘Social Intelligence’

Update: Intestesting article in Psychology Today Blog:

  Why Don’t We Doubt Spider-Man’s Existence?

Update: Abraham Lincoln was a big fan of Aesop’s Fables. He retold them often to illustrate various political points. 

Read & Grow Rich: How the Hidden Power of Reading Can Make You Richer in All Areas of Your Life by Burke Hedges

Despite the kind of cheesy title, I actually really liked this book. The Author, Mr. Hedges was not a big reader, but reluctantly decided to read a self-help book that his sister-in-law had recommended. This book not only inspired him to read more books, it actually inspired him to change his life, to make the changes necessary for him to grow rich, both materially and spiritually.

Reading self-help books, although very helpful for many people, is also considered kind of déclassé. This is ironic since traditionally, studying the humanities (including Literature) was considered a form of self-help, a respected way to understand humanity and oneself.

This is something Mr. Hedges touches upon when he lists a number of historical self-help books such as Pilgrims Progress and Walden. Both are popular self-help books, that are also considered Literature.

The author also stresses the importance of self-education through reading, and gives some historical examples, including:

- Abraham Lincoln who went to school a couple of times a week when he was 7 years old (a total of 18 months according to Wikipedia), and that was it. The rest of his education he got from reading widely.

- Frederick Douglas, a slave with no formal education, who learned to read by listening while the wife of his owner taught her children to read. He was self-taught through reading, and became a major force in the abolitionist movement.

What I particularly liked about this book was the author’s sincerity in wanting to spread the word on the benefits of reading, which he does is a very lively way.

Where the book lacked, was that the author neglected the importance of reading for enjoyment. After all, the more you “read for pleasure”, the easier reading becomes (practice makes perfect). And the easier reading becomes, the more likely the reader will stick with and comprehend more instructional books.

I also really enjoyed the historical references that Mr. Hedges makes. It’s obvious he did his research, and I definitely learned a lot!