TV was the first form of instant, visual information. It allowed us to see and hear what we wanted to and enjoyed perceiving. Sit coms, dramas, sporting events, news casts. You can get it all on television. Networks for your instant gratification; technology has spoiled us gradually with this ability. TV has also sky-rocketed the advertising industry, making it impossible to watch your favorite station without being sold a brand new vacuum cleaner.
In my life, TV is not a huge time consumer, other than the occasional Netflix series that I get hooked on. I think there are positive and negative aspects. The positives include an escape from the real world and civilization, but do not involve closer reliance on technology, like video games or your cell phone. It also allows someone to learn new current events rather easily. With digital TV, our need for instant gratification has only increased. This is where the negatives begin. We no longer have to endure commercials at all times or wait for next week's episode. The digital network allows us to bypass both of these obstacles. This laziness will only increase if we allow it to.