As a matter of fact, mankind now possesses for the first time the tools and knowledge to create whatever kind of world he wants... - Robert D. Putnam

Busy people tend to forgo the one activity - TV watching _ that is most lethal to community involvement

The answer is that the destiny of poor kids in America has broad implications for our economy, our democracy, and our values.

Allan McBride showed in a careful content analysis of the most popular TV programs that “television programs erode social and political capital by concentrating on characters and stories that portray a way of life that weakens group attachments and social/political commitment.” Television purveys a disarmingly direct and personal view of world events in a setting dominated by entertainment values. Television privileges personalities over issues and communities of interest over communities of place. In sum, television viewing may be so strongly linked to civic disengagement because of the psychological impact of the medium itself.54