Infuence of TV on people, personalities, and..... something else beginning with p

Dave!

Hey there folks,

I've been meaning to start a discussion on this issue, but never got around to it cos I couldn't really put it into words

Anywho,

Has anyone else noticed how TV shows especially are in some way affecting people's personalities?

It's a trend I've noticed for years now to be honest. I find that alot of my friends, acquaintances, relatives, etc., bear striking personality similarities with characters from TV.

The most blatant example, and I'm sure everyone notices this, is the regular quoting from TV shows. I don't think a day goes by that I don't hear or utter a quote from Friends, Scrubs, or Family Guy. There's nothing insidious about this, and I'm sure it's quite understandable and normal.

But I find it goes a bit deeper than that.

Beyond the flagrant quotes there is a tendency to use phrases, etc., which are spawned from TV shows. It's almost subconscious at this point.

That's again fairly benign and irrelevent really...

But furthermore, I've noticed that emphasis and intonation employed by some people tends to mimic that of TV characters! The main source of this is definitely Friends.

My sister often sounds like Rachel and borrows from 'her' parlance. A (former) friend of mine used to be exactly like Chandler.

And beyond their vocal sounds, I can't help but notice how their personalities very clearly mirror those from the show. My friend is so like Chandler it's pretty scary! Their mannerisms, etc., are very similar (sarcastic, and so on).

Anywho........

It's not unusual that people inherit personality traits from others. I probably share alot of phrases and mannerisms with my brothers and other relatives, and my friends. With familiarity, idioms, etc., are likely to bleed from one person to another, and you carry with you things which you pick up from other people.


But do ye think that TV is/has been becoming a major source of this?


Perhaps it's something to do with a lack of a role model/someone to follow....... I draw alot of things from my brothers, probably because I have alot of admiration for them. My sister is the only female in the immediate family besides my mother. She takes alot of her neuroticism from my mam! She could take other traits from other places, ie. TV. My mate's dad wasn't really around for his childhood and he still doesn't have alot of contact with him. He does have an older brother, but he's not much of a role model! You can see similarities between the two, but more so with Chandler!


So what do ye think? Is there anything to the points I made?

Do I just watch too much TV, and I'm drawing parallels with my RL peeps? Just talking sh*te?

Pretty sure it's just sh*te, but try and decipher it none the less!

Strange that you mention this because I was thinking about this the other day. I've been watching the Soprano's ALOT recently as I got the box set and I am looking through them all and I find myself cursing all the ****ing time now .

biko

Actually I will sometimes use quotes from Friends and Scrubs. Not to mention Father Ted

Hrududu

I remember reading a book once where someone mentioned that they felt they were the sum part of everyone they've ever met. I know that people sometimes behave like their friends, take on their mannerisms without realising it. So I suppose its not surprising that it could leak from television onto people too. I too know a Chandler, who really wasnt like that before Friends was on tv.

Everyone seems to quote TV now. Sometimes you just can't help it. Since I started watching The Wire the word Motherf***er has slipped into my vocabulary and wont leave.

Stench Blossoms

There was a girl in my class when i was in primary school who started acting like Rachel from friends when the show starting to become big. 10 years later she still acts like her. Sad cow.

EamonnKeane

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, DaveMcG?

chopperbyrne

EamonnKeane wrote: »

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, DaveMcG?

http://bizzoony.files.wordpress.com/2006/12/what-choo-talkin-bout-willis.jpg

ScumLord

I don't know anyone that quotes from tv that much. It happens whenever the new family guy comes out on dvd we all watch it then say gigidy gigidy for about a week and it's all out of our systems.

Don't know anyone who still watches friends to be honest.

People need to free themselves from the sky box, I did it years ago and never regretted it.

topper75

Don't mind TV quotes so much. Can be funny in right context.

Intonation is another thing though. Hate the way people's voice goes up at the end of a sentence - that Californian/Australian interrogative. It sounds patronising - hinting at "I am not sure you understand me - I might be telling you something new here and I suspect you are not bright enough to understand!"

Teenagers, yuppies, and HR staff most guilty. Inspires violent thoughts in me.

Step away from the Sky Box.

Unaton

I do that with House. Quotes, attitude, even the accent. It's scary.

Mr. CooL ICE

Unaton wrote: »

I do that with House. Quotes, attitude, even the accent. It's scary.

Yup, me too. My sense of humour has always leant towards sarcasm, but now I seem to live and breathe sarcasm. However, I don't quite have the same ability to fcuk with peoples' heads.

Mate of mine has been acting like Raoul Duke/Cpt Jack Thompson for nigh on two years now. It started off as light-hearted drunken imitations, but now he does it all the time, and needless to say, the novelty has long worn off.

johnnyskeleton

Some people quote Shakespeare. Others Friends.

Done well it can be perfect, done badly and it sounds pretentious or idiotic.

ziggy

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