In her argumentative article “Television Addiction”, taken from her book The Plug-In Drug, Marie Winn talks about television addiction and its dangers. First she defines addiction then she looks at the destructive side of television addiction. Winn tries to show the reader that TV addiction should not be taken lightly for it is actually destructive.
Marie Winn starts by saying that TV addiction is as serious as drug or alcohol addiction. Then she shows some negative aspects of addiction, or its results. She says that the addict will become inable to function normally without his addiction. She also says that the life of the addict will be distorted, and his craving will continue but he’ll never be satisfied. And basing her argument on these general definitions or symptoms and results of addiction, she considers TV addiction as one of the serious types of addiction. Winn says that TV is an “unproductive” experience that blots out the real world and takes the viewer to a pleasurable passive mental state. And with the TV pleasures available, other experiences or daily activities become “less attractive”. The TV addict’s life becomes “imbalanced” for there are other things that he “ought to do” but doesn’t. TV also “distorts the sense of time” and weakens relationships because it reduces communication between people. And finally, just like other addictions, the writer says that TV viewing does not satisfy.
Winn develops her argument logically. She starts with defining addiction and showing how an addict behaves. And basing her argument on these facts, she succeeds in proving that TV addiction is serious and destructive. Her examples, (the college English teacher) and the quotes she uses play a big role in supporting her argument. She also uses simple language, enabling any reader to understand, and uses common words (like “hooked on TV” or “trip”…) that make the article more “down to earth” and less complex.
“Television Addiction” is a good argumentative article where the writer clearly states that TV addiction is serious and destructive. She explains her point of view clearly and succeeds in convincing the reader that TV addiction is indeed destructive.
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