Assignment 5- Alex

Television is a good form of entertainment, but like all other forms, of a certain kind. I think that each medium has its own use. Books are good for telling the story of a character, relying on the theater of the mind. The words provide a framework, but you have to fill in the rest. It may read, "The chair is blue", but what shade? What kind of chair? What's the location? And so forth.
Video games can tell stories, and quite well. They put you in the position of a character, and the success or failure of it all depends on you. It gives you visuals, sounds, the works, but the key is interaction with the world. That is the realm of the game, the ability to impact it in your own way. Granted, you know that everything is limited by the coding of the game but still is fun/exciting/sad/thrilling/etc.\
Finally, television. In my opinion this puts people on the rails of the camera, following the story. Television can be replayed easily by simply rewinding, finding details and reviewing with the all powerful remote. Observe the world as a spectator in (insert name here)'s life or the journey to retrieve the McGuffin, doesn't matter. It can be used for just as wide a selection of purposes as the others. The quality of the entertainment depends on the story is what I'm trying to say. Pick a medium, quality varies wildly but most of it is enjoyable.
Advertisers use this for exposure, and yes they do choose it because so many people watch television. That is the core reason advertisers have paid 4 million dollars for Super Bowl ad slots. They have the audience, they know where the people are, and they take their chance they will earn back their money.
As for is it an inane use of time, that isn't a simple question. Why do people do anything? Enjoyment, money, their kids, opportunity, because they can? No idea. Yes, it doesn't immediately progress the betterment of humanity or earn money or anything useful. It's entertainment. If something isn't useful, then it is inane, then yes you call it inane. But my opinion on the matter is that life should be enjoyed. Why live if there's no point in anything. Not to get existential in a blog post on entertainment, but to quote the band OKGO, "This to shall pass". Enjoy it while it's here.