The TV is eating your brains
By AnjaP
@Rollo1 (16679)
Boston, Massachusetts
August 26, 2016 6:33am CST
I swear, I am going to stop watching any television program which attempts to ramp up audience interest and excitement with excessively loud applause, screaming, squealing, or music made with instruments that strain the upper range of my hearing and leave me feeling assaulted by their driving beats that pummel my tympanic nerve.
The people who make these shows don't trust me. They don't think that I will be able to pay attention unless they punctuate the proceedings with bursts of ear-splitting noise. Talent shows, cooking shows, even documentaries often use music to keep us watching.
I understand that some shows need noise. A program about World War II will contain lots of bombing and shooting. But even shows about war make the explosions so loud that you turn the volume down, only to find that you can't hear any of the dialogue when the shooting stops.
I personally think it's a form of brainwashing. Or a form of torture.
There's no reason I should have to cover my ears during some segments of a cooking show, hoping that eventually, the chef will reveal the recipe when the flashy and loud bit is over.
And that's the TV Stockholm Syndrome. We are so grateful when the music/explosions/squealing stops, that we will watch anything, listen to anyone - as long as they speak quietly.
TV turns your brains to mush. You'd be better off with zombies.
19 people like this
17 responses
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
26 Aug 16
I am very selective about what I watch and I am really enjoying the 5 or 8 PBS channels that our cable company provides.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
27 Aug 16
my favorite cooking show is Good Eats, he rarely has any of that
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458230)
• Switzerland
26 Aug 16
I think that this is a form of torture and I cannot stand loud noises. We have the same problem, I turn down because I am annoyed by the music or the noises and then I cannot understand what people say. We should boycott this kind of torture.
1 person likes this
@paigea (35705)
• Canada
26 Aug 16
@Rollo1 In my husband's case, he also has the volume much louder due to his hearing. (well lack of hearing)
But even a show I watch sometimes, if it is on when I am not following it, the noise is very annoying especially the laugh track. If I am following, I don't even notice. I do get caught up in the story I guess.
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17714)
• South Africa
26 Aug 16
strange that you should say this - there is a new TV series on ITV - British comedy called Benidorm and the son says to his mother - "your talking is frying me brains" and the mother replies "your father ate brains and he loved them fried"
ha ha ha - So I am reading your post thinking of the continuous noise that fries ones brain eventually - or so it feels. I hate it when there is FAKE clapping - its louder than the program and lingers with an echo - I think I might be getting old and feeling very allergic to many TV and other sounds.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
26 Aug 16
The BBC are no strangers to employing canned laughter. I cannot stand television shows and particularly the American variety shows. It is like they are telling you when you should laugh. Laughter should be spontaneous if it is something really funny! I find it incredulous that my wife watches some stupid game show there is absolutely no skill in this snow it drags on and on and on. I have to remind her that she will never get those lost minutes back watching such bile.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
26 Aug 16
I laugh very rarely when I am alone, even though I might smile when something is funny. Now and again, I will spontaneously laugh out loud. I find I laugh more when I am watching in a group of people, and they laugh more, too. I think the canned laughter is because TV producers know that we are more likely to laugh if others are laughing. Laugh tracks can be annoying, but the incessant screeching and howling of audiences over the most ridiculous things is much more irritating to me. I wish the content of these shows lived up to the hype they create with the sound effects.
1 person likes this
@jateennilcamal (74)
• Daman, India
27 Aug 16
i would say Tv is just a medium but main reason that eating our brain is those silly illogical tv shows and channel .... in entertainment industry there is so less channels are surviving which provide us good and useful show but they don't have enough fund to promote it on the other hand there are so many silly pathetic channel companies are there who's goal is only earn money in any situation ... so these company are the one who eating our brain & money
1 person likes this
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
26 Aug 16
I don't think the sound on my TV is as good as yours. But sometimes when we eat dinner, we turn the news on and before the news is Ellen. And we love Ellen, but people are always screaming on her show, usually screaming about getting money or a car or something, or screaming when a celebrity does their walk on. It's really annoying. Actually it's why I haven't watched the Grammys in a long time, too much freaking screaming. I wouldn't say most of the other stuff I watch is very loud.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
26 Aug 16
Yes, audience screaming is the worst. I am very old and remember when The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan. Even as a young child, I remember thinking that the girls in the audience screaming and crying were stupid, because you couldn't hear the music. We've become a society of screamers and squealers. I want to live in a cave.
@Tampa_girl7 (49013)
• United States
28 Aug 16
I often enjoy a day with the television off. I hate to constantly have it on.
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
26 Aug 16
you are ssooo right .... some shows are terrible for sound effects and background music...., I usually change channel if I have to sit with the volume control in my hand ... and turn it uuupppp and ddooooowwwnnnn again.... 
1 person likes this
