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By the year 2002, all Televisions will be High Definition. Proponents are extolling the advantages of this all digital format as allowing the viewer to "have the complete experience." One digital devotee went so far as to state, "This new format will have heart." I have touched about every data base in order to retrieve information regarding the psychological ramifications HDTV on the Naked Ape. So far I have found none. There is a lot of material regarding transmission/receiving protocols but nothing about the possible impact on cognitive differentiation of the visual consumer. Why should we be concerned? It is quite possible that advances in technology and decrease in cost will allow a "Video Wall" in the homes of the visual consumer... with surround sound. The picture will be digitally perfect and the sound fidelity surpassing CD-ROMs. How will the Video Wall impact the family unit? "Honey, I'm home!" may not be heard over the three dimensional sound of the video wall. Wife and child may be staring blankly at the pixel perfect wall, ladened with images, skillfully crafted to capture the attention of the viewer. When the viewer has been completely mesmerized, how easy it will be to sell all and sundry things. The children will be encourage to consume more sugar and action figures. The women will wonder why their shopping cart has an inordinate amount of electrically driven air fresheners, roll-on-ordour-offs, spread on depilatories, and boxes of "lite days" with a "nature-fresh scent." Dad will wonder why he is buying all that fire making stuff for the barbecue and why on earth has he purchased all that artificially reddened flesh. What will happen in the children's mind when they perceives a life sized tiger roaring and charging in their direction. Since HDTV will be interactive, it is entirely possible that the single parents might program a dinner partner and completely ignore their children in favour of their "Digitized Date." The child may be put to bed early, without a bedtime story. The adult can have cocktails with the Digidate. Who knows what folly might follow in the interactive mode... A lot can be accomplished with a digit. Andersen -30- |
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