The Plug In Drug By Marie Winn Summary

“The Plug-in Drug”, written by Marie Winn, consists of effects of watching television as a child, and pessimistic consequences followed by doing so. Marie asserts that watching television-even “good” programs-is harmful to children; she reasons her argument with a range of persuasive elements such as asking rhetorical questions, providing information suggested by reliable source, and accentuating the importance of engagement of the readers.

First of all, the author’s effective usage of rhetorical question reinforces her with deriving the readers to agree with her argument. For instance, in the second paragraph of the passage, she indicates “But is it the needs of children which are at stake when parents demand better programs?” after explaining about parents’ right to ask programs aiming at the young meeting the specific needs of children. Then, after the inquiry, which is thrown to the audience, she answers with her own opinion that hugely
Marie compares the significance of learning from reading and outdoor activities and sitting in front of the television, watching programs that are intended to be educational. She says, “It is then that children use their minds and their bodies, their imaginative and reasoning powers, to enrich their lives.”, amplifying that TV is not an excellent source of learning as it is assumed by general public. Consequently, she concludes the article by “only when parents begin to question the nature of television itself and tis effects on their children and on themselves as parents will they begin to realize that it is not the programs but television itself-and especially the good programs-which poses the greater threat to their children’s well being”, delivering her argument with an impact that makes all the parents who have children to think about what is more valuable and worthy to their