Ode to a Dead Television Set

Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen Feb 6, 2007

When I was in graduate school, I killed a television set. The ill-fated set, which rested on top of an AV cart, projected its last images into my morning argumentation class. It didn’t survive the elevator ride back to the department AV room. Unfortunately, the elevator and the fourth floor were not level, so when I pushed the cart out, the television plummeted to its death. A few sparks flew as the cathode ray lit for one last time and burned out.

After several department members calmed me down, I recognized the poetic resonance of the moment. The thing is, that's what I was doing in graduate school-- killing televisions, albeit metaphorically. As a media studies student, I spent my days writing about the negative implications of television programs upon culture. That's called ideological criticism, and I was good at it. I was a professional television assassin.

This was the second worst moment of my academic career. (You don't want to know about the worst one, believe me.) It happened almost 10 years ago to the day. RIP, my television friend..

Was ideological criticism a waste of time? No, I don't think so. It's important for people think critically about media, and we don't do it enough. I intend to continue to write articles about television, but in formats other than academic journals.

But now, as I end my academic career, I suppose the televisions in my neighborhood can sleep more soundly.

Read more about my last semester as a professor, and join in the discussion!