Why do people usually spend so much time watching TV?

The best evidence suggests that Americans watch more than five hours a day of television on average - a surprising number, given that they spend several hours more than other devices that transmit video.

Other countries record much less time in front of the screen.

In Scandinavia, for example, the time people spend watching television is about half the average in the United States.

The consequences for American society are profound, disturbing, and a warning to the world - though it is probably too late to be taken into account.

First, watching a lot of television reports little pleasure.

Many surveys show that it is almost like an addiction that offers a short - term benefit that leads to unhappiness and a long - winded remorse.

These viewers say they would rather watch less television than they look.

Moreover, watching a lot of television contributed to social fragmentation.

The time that used to happen in group in the community today is passed in solitude in front of a screen.

Robert Putman, the prominent specialist in the decadent sense of community in the United States, found that watching television is the central explanation for the decline of 'social capital', the trust that unites communities.

Of course, there are many other factors at play, but the social atomization generated by television should not be underestimated.