For the Love and Hate of Television

I love TV. I'm fascinated by every aspect of its creation, production, and execution. I love the way you can flip through channels and find millions of different shows, each about something different. It's fun to watch, too. Some shows are exciting and dramatic, while others are interesting and informative. These various categories can appeal to a wide range of audiences all over the planet.

And because television is so accessible, more people will see more shows. Of course, the actors who star in more popular shows are recognized almost everywhere.

Once a year, those shows and actors are compiled and ranked into several categories; the best of the best in each category wins an "Emmy." Ironically, other shows are put off so that the Emmy Awards can air, in their full glory. For one night, everyone's eyes are on their television set more often than usual, so they can find out if "their show" won an award. 11.9 million people, in fact.

Meanwhile, in only a few weeks, broadcasted across the world (just like the Emmys), the winner(s) of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced. Last year, just over 25,000 people tuned in to view the event. That's 0.002% of the people who watched the Emmys.

That's a staggering statistic. The Nobel Peace Prize is given to the most influential proponent of societal growth at that time; only those who have instigated radical change (e.g. Malala Yousafzai) in their community or region are even eligible to receive it. And let, less than a 100th of a percent of the number of people who watched the Emmys watched that event.

When we value acting and popularity over real, measurable, important change in our world, we have to collectively ask ourselves a question: why? Why is a list of famous people and shows 476 times more viewed than a list of society's most influential people? Is it because of the glamour of TV and the lack of glamour in a young girl fighting for her education in a war-torn, desolate nation?

Of course, the Nobel Prize recipients aren't going to change their goals to become more flashy or popular, because that isn't their goal; their goal is change.

I love TV. I'm fascinated by every aspect of its creation, production, and execution. But I also love people fighting for equality when all odds are against them and when they expect to have no recognition. The person who will win the Nobel Prize this year is not an actor who struggles to stay out of rehab; they will be a person who struggles to affect their community, their region, and the lives of everyone on Earth for the better.