--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact is television doesn't simply…" description: "\"“The fact is television doesn't simply reflect society's values. In important ways, it also legitimizes them. And more and more in recent decades it ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/bernard-goldberg-17570_habits_the-fact-is-television-doesn-t-simply-re_2914200.jpg" --- # The fact is television doesn't simply reflect society's… ![“The fact is television doesn't simply reflect society's values. In important ways, it also legitimizes them. And more and more in recent decades it has made even the most dubious "values" and behaviors seem normal and routine.” quote by Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/bernard-goldberg-17570_habits_the-fact-is-television-doesn-t-simply-re_2914200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/bernard-goldberg-17570_habits_the-fact-is-television-doesn-t-simply-re_2914200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b05/bernard-goldberg-17570_habits_the-fact-is-television-doesn-t-simply-re_2914200.jpg) > ““The fact is television doesn't simply reflect society's values. In important ways, it also legitimizes them. And more and more in recent decades it has made even the most dubious "values" and behaviors seem normal and routine.”” [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. TV shapes and normalizes societal values, not just mirrors them. **In simple terms:** TV influences what we think is normal. Key Takeaway Critically evaluate media messages. Themes media influence culture norms propaganda Mood critical analytical Type educational observational When to use this quote - media literacy classes - family discussions - policy debates Key Concepts social construction agenda‑setting Questions to Reflect On - What values do you see reinforced on TV? - How can viewers resist subtle persuasion? A Different Perspective Media can also reflect genuine public sentiment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [“Healthcare culture is a system of shared values and behaviors that focus caregiver activity on improving the patient experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merlino/healthcare-culture-is-a-system-of-shared-values-and-behaviors-that/) [James Merlino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merlino/) > [“Trust is what happens when values and behaviors match up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-h-blanchard/trust-is-what-happens-when-values-and-behaviors-match-up/) [Kenneth H. Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-h-blanchard/) > [“Our values and behaviors are incongruent, and this incongruence causes us a certain degree of moral discomfort. In order to alleviate this discomfort, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-joy/our-values-and-behaviors-are-incongruent-and-this-incongruence-causes/) [Melanie Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-joy/) > [“It is the leader’s job to lead by example and enforce the values and the behaviors to set the culture for any company or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ramsay/it-is-the-leader-s-job-to-lead-by-example-and-enforce-the-values-and/) [Beth Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ramsay/) > [“It is the leader’s job to model and enforce the values and behaviors that make up the company culture. “Model” the behaviors is key.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ramsay/it-is-the-leader-s-job-to-model-and-enforce-the-values-and-behaviors/) [Beth Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ramsay/) > [It is a part of the intellectual's tragedy that the things he most values about himself and his work are quite unlike those society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-is-a-part-of-the-intellectual-s-tragedy-that-the-things-he-most/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [“The education provided must therefore encourage the development in each citizen of three things; an inquiring mind; and ability to learn from what others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-nyerere/the-education-provided-must-therefore-encourage-the-development-in/) [Julius Nyerere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-nyerere/) > [“Isn't it funny that in a society that values freedom above all things, things that are free are not valued?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-thanh-nguyen/isn-t-it-funny-that-in-a-society-that-values-freedom-above-all-things/) [Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-thanh-nguyen/) > [We are a society that values a man for what he does in the world, a woman for how she looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-b-rubin/we-are-a-society-that-values-a-man-for-what-he-does-in-the-world-a/) [Lillian B. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-b-rubin/) > [“The problem with our society is that our values aren’t in the right place. There’s an awful lot of bleeding and naked bodies on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bauvard/the-problem-with-our-society-is-that-our-values-aren-t-in-the-right/) [Bauvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bauvard/) > [Could we chose to amend the rules of the game to create a society that values people over profits, life over pollution, mutual care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-robin/could-we-chose-to-amend-the-rules-of-the-game-to-create-a-society/) [Vicki Robin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-robin/) > [Our society values alert, problem-solving consciousness, and it devalues all other states of consciousness. Any kind of consciousness that is not related to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/our-society-values-alert-problem-solving-consciousness-and-it/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [Over all, many of society's values are a cesspool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/over-all-many-of-society-s-values-are-a-cesspool/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We’ve built a society that values civil liberties even at the expense of social order.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wheelan/we-ve-built-a-society-that-values-civil-liberties-even-at-the-expense/) [Charles Wheelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wheelan/) > [I was lucky enough to be born in a time and place where society values my talent, and gave me a good education to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-born-in-a-time-and-place-where-society/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) ## More by Bernard Goldberg > [Except for talk radio, liberals pretty much control the culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/except-for-talk-radio-liberals-pretty-much-control-the-culture/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [Bill Maher fancies himself the reincarnation of Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/bill-maher-fancies-himself-the-reincarnation-of-lenny-bruce/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I don't believe all rich people are selfless philanthropists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-don-t-believe-all-rich-people-are-selfless-philanthropists/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [There are lots of reasons fewer people are watching network news, and one of them, I'm more convinced than ever, is that our viewers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/there-are-lots-of-reasons-fewer-people-are-watching-network-news-and/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [The big 3 networks don't like the fact that there's a Rush Limbaugh out there, they don't like the fact that there's a Fox…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/the-big-3-networks-don-t-like-the-fact-that-there-s-a-rush-limbaugh/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I said that liberals think people who live in the middle of the country are a bunch of jerks, and obviously all liberals don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-said-that-liberals-think-people-who-live-in-the-middle-of-the/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [You don't smear somebody as a racist when there is obviously nothing there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/you-don-t-smear-somebody-as-a-racist-when-there-is-obviously-nothing/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I didn't say one negative word about poor people or about middle-class people or anything else. All I said was that the rich deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-didn-t-say-one-negative-word-about-poor-people-or-about-middle/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [“In the United States of Entertainment there is no greater sin than to bore the audience”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/in-the-united-states-of-entertainment-there-is-no-greater-sin-than-to/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I have a big problem when the sanctimonious, holier than thou congressmen and women go on national television for six hours and beat somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-have-a-big-problem-when-the-sanctimonious-holier-than-thou/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [The evening news is a concept whose time has come and gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/the-evening-news-is-a-concept-whose-time-has-come-and-gone/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I mean, I think everybody realizes that calling people racist is a waste of time; nobody buys it anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-mean-i-think-everybody-realizes-that-calling-people-racist-is-a/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [Don't pretend to be a journalist if you're not a journalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/don-t-pretend-to-be-a-journalist-if-you-re-not-a-journalist/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I've never seen class warfare as nasty as it is today, as a result of tax debate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-ve-never-seen-class-warfare-as-nasty-as-it-is-today-as-a-result-of/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [Liberals, many of them, not all of them, but many of them are obsessed with race. They see everything through a filter of race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/liberals-many-of-them-not-all-of-them-but-many-of-them-are-obsessed/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) [Explore all 37 Bernard Goldberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) ## More Habits quotes > [“Malchut is also the Alma D’Itgalya, “the Revealed World.” Here our latent potential is actualized through behavior and expression.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laibl-wolf/malchut-is-also-the-alma-d-itgalya-the-revealed-world-here-our-latent/) Laibl Wolf > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [“the mind-numbing routine. It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When it comes to smarts, adolescents like Jesse have plenty. What they lack, however, are some of the brain-based skills that we all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-guare/when-it-comes-to-smarts-adolescents-like-jesse-have-plenty-what-they/) [Richard Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-guare/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/chaos-often-breeds-life-when-order-breeds-habit/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're in a meeting and a man talks loudly over you, rather than copying that behaviour and normalising it, what you could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-foster/if-you-re-in-a-meeting-and-a-man-talks-loudly-over-you-rather-than/) [Dawn Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-foster/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) [Browse all 12,567 Habits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The fact is television doesn't simply reflect society's values. In important ways, it also legitimizes them. 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