Why is TV called an Idiot's box?

I think television is called an idiot box if it causes people to cease doing other activities because they are watching it. I kind of disagree with that title. As long as television doesn't interfere with you daily activities or keep you from reading books and quality magazines/newspapers, it can be a good thing. Television is great for unwinding for a while and leaving the cares of the world behind. It can also be educational, too, depending on which programs a person chooses to watch. All good things in moderation. :-)

I think it's because sometimes media portrays/gives wrong examples to its viewers. Like movies or television shows that encourages war or fighting. Portraying beauty in the wrong ways and reasons. Setting "examples" on how teens today should act and the likes. Most of the time media, in the form of tv, presents its viewers unhelpful or uninformative shows. It's usually just an entertainment and sometimes entertainment doesn't really present relevant issues/information.

It is called an idiot box because there is nothing that the viewer does except to watch a bunch of perople doing some funny things. There is no ionvolvement from the side of the viewer. And most of the time our views and ideas pertaining to a lot of things around us come from the idiot box and we do nothing more than repeat after them. And in this way we dont use our most important faculty that is our brain that well.

I believe that the term comes from the fact that some research has shown that kids who watch television a lot have lower reading scores compared to their low television time watching peers. The term has been away forever. I don't remember a time when it was not in play. Of course, one has to ask if reading is neccessarily a sign of intelligence, or if it is just a skill. If reading is just a skill, and not a true indication of a person's inherient intellignece, then television should be called the Lazy Box instead.

I haven't heard that one in awhile! I have heard of the "one eyed monster" too! I think it came about when the younger kids started watching so much in the 60's-70's and the older people didn't watch much as they weren't used to it... grew up with out it and knew that there were so many other things one could be doing with their time besides just sitting there staring at...what... bunch of people acting? My dad was like this and I grew up without a tv and thought I was so deprived.... now many years later, i see what he was talking about. There are so many other things you could be doing with your time instead of just staring at the idiot box.. don't need any brains or intelligence to sit and stare...ergo.. the "idiot" box. Me and my sibling are all talented is so many hobbies and talents.. all cause we did other things instead of sitting in front of the one eyed monster. When my 2 grand daughters, 3 adn 9, come over.. the TV so seldom goes on! I have taught them all kinds of crafts, baking, creating, playing school and the list goes on of things we do. i will ask them if they want to watch TV (mainly to get a minutes peace for myself so I can keep up with them!) and they will both say.. no, there are to many other things they'd rather do while here. These days tv shows are nothing but s*x and violence themes anyway...can't understand why people want to sit there and watch the bed hopping and the fighting and killing!