The Oompa-Loompas said it best...OUR VIEW ON T.V.

So, I have been trying to get through a list of classic books to read that was provided to me in a book called "101 Things to Do Before I Die". Charlie and the Chocolate Factory happens to be one of them. In one of the final chapters, Mike Teavee is being carried away to be stretched out and the Oompa Loompas sing a little song that goes like this:

"The most important thing we've learned,

So far as children are concerned,

Is never, NEVER, NEVER let

Them near your television set --

Or better still, just don't istall

The idiotic thing at all.

In almost every house we've been,

We've watched them gaping at the screen.

They loll and slop and lounge about,

And stare until their eyes pop out

...

But did you ever stop to think,

To wonder just exactly what

This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD?

IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!

IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!

IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND

HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND

FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!

HIS BRAIN BECOMES SOFT AS CHEESE!

HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!

HE CANNOT THINK - HE ONLY SEES!

"All right!' you'll cry. "All right!" you'll say,

"But if we take the set away,

What shall we do to entertain

Our darling children? Please explain!"

We'll answer this by asking you,

"What used the darling ones to do?

"How used they keep themselves contented

Before this monster was invented?

Have you forgotten? Don't you know?

We'll say it very loud and slow:

THEY...USED...TO...READ! They'd READ and

READ,

AND READ and READ, and then proceed

To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!

One half their lives was reading books!

The nursery shelves held books galore!

Books cluttered up the nursery floor!

And in the bedroom, by the bed,

More books were waiting to be read!

Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales

Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales

And treasure isles, and distant shores

Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars

And pirates wearing purple pants,

And sailing ships and elephants,

And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,

Stirring away at something hot.