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[Set2Stun]

They found interred bodies tens of thousands of years old with stones placed on tops of them - to keep them from raising from the dead?

My perspective is no; this was more about making a sort of monument that would endure for a long time. In some ways it's better and longer-lasting than burying a body in the ground and putting a gravestone or some wooden equivalent there to mark it. And it does serve the same purpose more or less, and doesn't require digging tools and ground that is accommodating to such endeavours. This practice is more practical in certain environments.

 

[Set2Stun]

Aaaand I feel like calling out the whole, "watching TV is for idiots/the unsophisticated masses/etc." thing. I've seen this sentiment posted in writing circles before, and I don't really understand it. How do excellent shows exist? Because of excellent writing.

Maybe 25+ years ago it might've made more sense to feel this way? But even back then we had The Simpsons, Star Trek, South Park, and on and on. And then we got The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, GoT (the first 4 or 5 seasons at least). I could go on forever re: the "Golden Age of Television."

So what are these people talking about when they suggest that TV isn't worth watching? I can only speculate. It's memeable content at this point, usually directed towards hipsters who have, "I don't even own a TV" energy. If it makes one feel good, I guess, congrats, but it's a shame that such great entertainment is being missed out on for such folk.

Trash TV absolutely exists and always has, and if that's what TV detractors are referring to, it'd be better to be specific about it !

 

[Rath Darkblade]

My perspective is no; this was more about making a sort of monument that would endure for a long time. In some ways it's better and longer-lasting than burying a body in the ground and putting a gravestone or some wooden equivalent there to mark it. And it does serve the same purpose more or less, and doesn't require digging tools and ground that is accommodating to such endeavours. This practice is more practical in certain environments.

Yes, Set2Stun's answer is far more likely than mine. (I was thinking in terms of the fantasy genre). I also remember reading that up until perhaps the mid-1700s (and maybe after?), people believed that in certain specific cases, the spirits of the dead could and would become reanimated. (Sometimes a dead person had an unfinished task in life, or his spirit was restless because he committed a dreadful act like murder).

This reminds me: in Judaism, there is a tradition of placing stones on graves as a symbol of remembrance, respect, and to mark a recent visit. The act of placing a stone is a way of participating in the Jewish practice of commemorating the burial and the deceased.

Flowers are beautiful, but they will eventually wither. Stones symbolize the permanence of memory, and will not die.

Some individuals choose to use stones from their own gardens or select brightly colored stones, adding a personal touch to the tradition.

 

[Homer Potvin]

The Sopranos,

That started it all, the long form, novel format television show. Oz did it a bit before, and a few others, I'm sure, but The Sopranos redefined the medium. It was the right show at the right time, before streaming and binge watching were things.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Aaaand I feel like calling out the whole, "watching TV is for idiots/the unsophisticated masses/etc." thing. I've seen this sentiment posted in writing circles before, and I don't really understand it. How do excellent shows exist? Because of excellent writing.

Maybe 25+ years ago it might've made more sense to feel this way? But even back then we had The Simpsons, Star Trek, South Park, and on and on. And then we got The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, GoT (the first 4 or 5 seasons at least). I could go on forever re: the "Golden Age of Television."

So what are these people talking about when they suggest that TV isn't worth watching? I can only speculate. It's memeable content at this point, usually directed towards hipsters who have, "I don't even own a TV" energy. If it makes one feel good, I guess, congrats, but it's a shame that such great entertainment is being missed out on for such folk.

Trash TV absolutely exists and always has, and if that's what TV detractors are referring to, it'd be better to be specific about it !

Unfortunately there's a lot of trash TV: "reality dating" shows, Big Brother/Survivor (gods help us), over-sensationalized talk shows (Dr Phil? Jerry Springer?) and even one -- or more? -- show about people watching TV, and commenting on it. (YouTube is similar). I won't even touch on the Kardashians.

Does that make all TV trash? No, clearly not. But have you ever tried to channel-surf and finding something that you find worth watching? It's exhausting.

You're right: excessive TV watching is not inherently linked to lower intelligence. But it can have negative consequences. Factors like a sedentary lifestyle, reduced social interaction, and the potential for certain types of content to impact cognitive abilities are more likely to contribute to these issues.

The type of content people watch significantly influences potential impacts. Educational shows, documentaries, and even some well-written dramas can promote cognitive development.

Also, moderation is key. Watching TV for four, or six, or eight hours a day is clearly not healthy.

Lastly, although many in the TV audience are getting smarter, many networks are ignoring that and continue to dumb things down, in an effort to reach as large a market as possible. But they forget that making stupid TV shows will only reach out to under-educated people, and annoy everyone else.

In contrast, I don't think many (if any?) authors, or agents, or publishers set out to write stupid books, represent people who do, or publish such books. Of course the definition of "stupid" is subjective. But how many authors say, "I'm gonna make my book so bad, so irritating, and so damn godawful, that no-one will want to read it"? *shrug* To me, that doesn't make sense -- unless, of course, you're going for notoriety, or as some kind of literary Springtime for Hitler-esque financial scam.