Sony introduced a new “television strategy” yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show, one that frankly fills me with horror. Well, maybe a more accurate emotion would be depressed resignment. Anyway, Sony COO Kunitake Ando outlined his vision of the future of television, as reported by BBC News World Edition…

Let me start with a short quote:

“”The first 50 years of colour television was just the infancy stage,” he said during a keynote speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. “The TV is going to be reborn as an always on and connected device.”

What most bugs me about this is that I think that TV rots the brain. Literally. Ever looked at people – particularly kids – while they’re watching a TV program? It’s like someone hit the ‘pause’ button on their cerebral functions, as they sit there, glassy-eyed and slack-jawed, absorbing whatever crap is being beamed at ’em.

Fair disclosure; our kids don’t watch any TV at all, nor do we let them watch movies other than once in a blue moon. We are very careful about their media exposure because my wife and I both believe that TV viewing prevents healthy development of imagination and individual resources for play and entertainment. Your milage may certainly vary if you’re a parent. That’s cool. I’m not out to change the world. Yet. 🙂

But while I understand the enthusiasm Sony has for wanting all of us to have a Sony television on 24×7, isn’t it just a bit revolting to think that we’re living in a society where people can’t pick up a book to read in a quiet house, or sit and chat with other members of their family, or – horrors – play a game together? And, no, not to sound like a curmudgeon, but I don’t think that a family clustered around the Nintendo is qualitatively the same as a family sitting at the table playing a board game or card game.

We all pick our own roads in life, but I sure hope that Sony’s wrong about people being willing to never turn off their TV. But we’ll see…