SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Seth Acuff

Photo of SAcuff

Seth Acuff is a staff writer for the “Six Mile Post” and the
student newspaper’s SEC representative. A student at both
the Floyd and Cartersville campuses, he enjoys contemplating
things such as the meaning of life and the existence of God.




Above the cozy padded chairs in the Georgia Highlands College student center on the Floyd Campus there are television monitors that threaten the intelligence of all the GHC students that sit beneath them. These electronic, satellite fed banes of intellectual existence display MTV’s college friendly network MTV-U.

In previous years, televisions in the student center displayed the “College Television Network.” Then in May of 2001, MTV-U took over offering the best of anti-scholastic programming continuously, every day.

Students lounging or studying for a test in the student center could enrich their lives by watching something informative such as the news, but instead they are subjected to a mentally stagnant assortment of “college rated” videos.

MTV does put forth some effort, however far from valiant, to keep the public informed with insignificant news bites aired on very rare occasions that last no longer than a flash of lightning.

MTV justifies its presence on college campuses by what some would call bribery, using scholarships and grants to buy admission into academia. MTV’s meager contributions to various philanthropic missions pale in significance to the network’s multi-million dollar profits and are divided among over 700 different schools.

Having MTV-U displayed in the student center not only causes a nuisance to those wishing to do their school work in peace, but also revokes an opportunity to learn for those who have nothing better to do but look at a TV screen.

If boredom sets in and there is a television available, why sit idle when knowledge could be gained by watching something informative? There are hundreds of networks other than MTV U that broadcast 24 hours a day and that could educate students, instead of wasting their time.

Entertainment is an important part of student life at any college or university, but academics and learning should be ranked higher. Why should students who want to learn be road-blocked by the sights and sounds of a network whose main interest is filling its own pockets?