--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Television is perhaps the greatest medium…" description: "\"Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered to teach and educate and even to entertain. But the filth, the rot, the violence, and the pro..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg" --- # Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered… ![“Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered to teach and educate and even to entertain. But the filth, the rot, the violence, and the profanity that spew from television screens into our homes is deplorable. It is a sad commentary on our society. The fact that a television set is on…” quote by Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg) > “Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered to teach and educate and even to entertain. But the filth, the rot, the violence, and the profanity that spew from television screens into our homes is deplorable. It is a sad commentary on our society. The fact that a television set is on six or seven hours every day in most of the homes of America says something of tremendous importance.” [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Television offers powerful education and entertainment, yet its pervasive negative content reflects and harms society. **In simple terms:** TV can teach and entertain but also spreads harmful content. Key Takeaway Use media critically and limit exposure to toxic content. Themes media influence morality culture technology Mood concerned critical reflective Type observational cautionary When to use this quote - family dinner - school media literacy - policy regulation - personal viewing habits Key Concepts propaganda desensitization social critique Questions to Reflect On - How does TV shape your values? - What steps can reduce harmful media exposure? A Different Perspective Positive impact requires responsible creation and consumption, which is not guaranteed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Commentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commentary/) [Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate/) [Entertain Filth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertain-filth-4596245/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Fact Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-television-4596244/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Filth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filth/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Our society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-society/) [Profanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profanity/) [Screens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screens/) [Seven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seven/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Spew Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spew-television-4596243/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Television Screens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-screens-3673697/) [Television set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television-set/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [The fact is that television, even before the movies, offered the chance to control our work and to get to do it again when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-brooks/the-fact-is-that-television-even-before-the-movies-offered-the-chance/) [James L. Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-brooks/) > [The government would have preferred not to take a stand, but the constant presence of the Israeli-Arab conflict on our television screens made it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/the-government-would-have-preferred-not-to-take-a-stand-but-the/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) > [The awful scenes of death and suffering we were witnessing on our television screens have been going on in other parts of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-awful-scenes-of-death-and-suffering-we-were-witnessing-on-our/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [It would be as useless to perceive how things 'actually look' as it would be to watch the random dots on untuned television screens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/it-would-be-as-useless-to-perceive-how-things-actually-look-as-it/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [We live in a world that is filled with filth and sleaze, a world that reeks of evil. You cannot afford that filthy poison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-live-in-a-world-that-is-filled-with-filth-and-sleaze-a-world-that/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [There is no substitute for virtue. Keep your thoughts virtuous. Rise above the filth that's all around you in this world and stand tall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-is-no-substitute-for-virtue-keep-your-thoughts-virtuous-rise/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I consider the television set as the American fireplace, around which the whole family will gather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-skelton/i-consider-the-television-set-as-the-american-fireplace-around-which/) [Red Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-skelton/) > [On a film set, for me, there's so much more time to process what's going on than there is on a television set. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-schilling/on-a-film-set-for-me-there-s-so-much-more-time-to-process-what-s/) [Taylor Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-schilling/) > [The space between the television set and the viewer is holy ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-space-between-the-television-set-and-the-viewer-is-holy-ground/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Almost the first thing I did when I became ill was to buy a truly good television set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-brodkey/almost-the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-became-ill-was-to-buy-a-truly/) [Harold Brodkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-brodkey/) > [New video gaming systems are coming out that track every joint of your body. It's basically going to become a normal thing for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-schell/new-video-gaming-systems-are-coming-out-that-track-every-joint-of/) [Jesse Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-schell/) > [I will be able to look back on my teen years as spent on a television set just having the biggest bunch of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-turner/i-will-be-able-to-look-back-on-my-teen-years-as-spent-on-a-television/) [Sophie Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-turner/) > [Like the sorcerer of old, the television set casts its magic spell, freezing speech and action, turning the living into silent statues so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urie-bronfenbrenner/like-the-sorcerer-of-old-the-television-set-casts-its-magic-spell/) [Urie Bronfenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urie-bronfenbrenner/) > [“TV was on Mr. Jobs’s to-do list. “I’d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,” he told his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tv-was-on-mr-jobs-s-to-do-list-i-d-like-to-create-an-integrated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Usually, if I'm yelling at the TV, I'm in a bar. If I'm by myself, and it's not a game, I often find myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-feldman/usually-if-i-m-yelling-at-the-tv-i-m-in-a-bar-if-i-m-by-myself-and-it/) [Ben Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-feldman/) ## More by Gordon B. Hinckley > [“Now we are at war. Great forces have been mobilized and will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/now-we-are-at-war-great-forces-have-been-mobilized-and-will-continue/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [“Do not trade your birthright as a mother for some bauble of passing value. Let your first interest be in your home. The baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/do-not-trade-your-birthright-as-a-mother-for-some-bauble-of-passing/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Some husbands regard it as their prerogative to compel their wives to fit their standards of what they think to be the ideal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/some-husbands-regard-it-as-their-prerogative-to-compel-their-wives-to/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [There have been times when a particularly heavy dose of such cynicism has caused me to reflect that surely this is the age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-have-been-times-when-a-particularly-heavy-dose-of-such-cynicism/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [We must work harder to build mutual respect, an attitude of tolerance, with forbearance one for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-must-work-harder-to-build-mutual-respect-an-attitude-of-tolerance/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Who can calculate the wounds inflicted, their depth and pain, by harsh and mean words spoken in anger? How pitiful a sight is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/who-can-calculate-the-wounds-inflicted-their-depth-and-pain-by-harsh/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [If you will make your first concern the comfort, the well-being, and the happiness of your companion, sublimating any personal concern to that loftier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/if-you-will-make-your-first-concern-the-comfort-the-well-being-and/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/get-on-your-knees-and-pray-then-get-on-your-feet-and-work/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I have now been an officer in this Church for a very long time. I am an old man who cannot deny the calendar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/i-have-now-been-an-officer-in-this-church-for-a-very-long-time-i-am/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Books represent the accumulated workings of the human mind, the endless treasures of man's thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/books-represent-the-accumulated-workings-of-the-human-mind-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The Voice of Heaven is a still small voice. The voice of peace in the home is a quiet voice. There is need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-voice-of-heaven-is-a-still-small-voice-the-voice-of-peace-in-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [We wear on our faces the results of what we believe and how we behave, and such behavior is most evident in the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-wear-on-our-faces-the-results-of-what-we-believe-and-how-we-behave/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [You are great young people. I have said again and again, we have the finest generation of young people ever in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/you-are-great-young-people-i-have-said-again-and-again-we-have-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Work without vision is drudgery. Vision without work is dreaming. Work plus vision-this is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/work-without-vision-is-drudgery-vision-without-work-is-dreaming-work/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [There is no association richer than the companionship of husband and wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-is-no-association-richer-than-the-companionship-of-husband-and/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) [Explore all 669 Gordon B. Hinckley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered to teach and educate and even to entertain. But the filth, the rot, the violence, and the profanity that spew from television screens into our homes is deplorable. It is a sad commentary on our society. The fact that a television set is on six or seven hours every day in most of the homes of America says something of tremendous importance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon B. Hinckley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-medium-ever-discovered-to-teach/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-medium-ever-discovered-to-teach/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4aa/gordon-b-hinckley-331_america_television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-mediu_2162663.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Television is perhaps the greatest medium ever discovered to teach and educate and even to entertain. But…” — Gordon B. Hinckley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gordon B. Hinckley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Television is perhaps the greatest medium...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-medium-ever-discovered-to-teach/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/television-is-perhaps-the-greatest-medium-ever-discovered-to-teach/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```