text: An invention of the 20th century that I think has significantly changed people's lives is television.  TV allows the instantaneous communication of ideas, images, news, etc.   Now, if something is happening in any part of the world- from across town all the way to Beijing -- every person in the world can watch this event as it is happening.  While previously people had to wait days, or even weeks for news (which consisted of second-or third-hand accounts, which always involved much interpretation and distortion) now they can see it happening, for themselves, as it is happening, this allows them to make their own, informed judgment about the event; and if a reaction is necessary- such as the gathering of opposition to a certain law -- it can be made immediately, while the emotions are still strong, and before the action is finalized.  As well, the fact that so many people (especially in the US) have television sets means that everybody (well, at least everybody who watches) receives the same inflow of information and ideas.  So, for example, people in Spain can be informed about how people in California or Japan speak and act, this allows people from different cultures to come together and discuss ideas.
  	 In my opinion, this is one part of the process of making the world a "smaller", more unified place, or a "global village" as one journalist has called this world of the Information Age.
  	Not only the news, but also entertainment is an important practical function of television, through television entertainment, as through literature and drama, people learn different messages about life.  They can see various actions acted out to their ends, and understand the consequences of these actions, without having to perform the same actions and experience the consequences for themselves.  Unfortunately these TV shows are not always accurate portrayals of real life and have a tendency to glorify violence, as well as making life seem the good guy always wins, and always lives thru dangerous situations.  However, this sense of reality is not so distorted, and so hidden that people are going around acting like Superman.  As long as one has a well-developed sense of reality, TV can be an excellent tool for understanding the world we live in.
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