Television & newspapers
When it comes to news, we can learn them not only through newspapers, but also through TV. Well, even if you don’t read newspapers and such, isn’t it okay if watching TV? Isn’t it much more comfortable and faster? There are probably also people who think like that. Nevertheless, I want to read newspapers, because I think news papers have some merits that TV doesn’t. Speaking of TV, picture and sound are put together. While watching, senses like those of our eyes and ears will be put to work. When sitting in front of the TV, elements that hit these senses appear one after another, and are erased one after another. It means they constantly change. These are the characteristic features of TV, but at the same time there are flaws as well. Sometimes things are mentioned that make me think, and pictures in which I have a deeper interest in are shown. But just as I’m thinking “ah”, it changes to the next thing already, and I remember nothing but a fairly deep impression. On the contrary, newspapers or in other words the printed material is not moving, and I can think about it. Not only that, but moreover I can continue to think about something from before. My imagination is expanding, and it’s possible to think of new ideas and such. The sensous stimulation that I get from the pictures often ends just there, but in case of the printed material something new can be added, and it is easy to make up something completely different. (translated excerpt from: Takaaki YOSHIMOTO: ‘The age 13 comes two times - thinking about “Myself, who lived in the present age”’ - Daiwa Shobô)