Why was the TV called an Idiot Box?

That term was coined sometime around late 50s or early 60's. There were mostly westerns, situational comedy, soaps, and a few dramas. It was pretty much fiction and very light hearted and seldom reflected real life. I'd say about 80-90% of it was like that. No Discovery Channel, National Geographics, CNN, or History Channel... no HBO, Showtime, Starz, or cable of any kind; and only Larwence Welk or a few country music shows for music... it was sad and you only had a handful of channels. very few color televisions, and a big tall antenna outside your house that needed to be turned everytime the wind blew.

So basically you were watching TV and for the most part getting nothing out of but a few laughs.... people just sitting around the room watching and not even really talking to one another

Today I would say watching info commercials all day long would give you the same result.

watching the idiot box.

note: the term couch potato came along a few years later to describe those that watch the idiot box. Jerry below is wrong, he who only quotes who coined it, not why.

It still is called that sometimes because it doesn't take any skill or effort to watch it.

because when you watch tv your brain waves are the same as if you were sleeping

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