PBS
Do you remember the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum? Well, I think he got it wrong. I would have called it All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching PBS ;-)
I was watching Charlie Rose last night and he was interviewing Justice Antonin Scalia. At one point they were talking about textualism and originalism - 2 subjects that I never gave thought to before. But to my surprise I was really intrigued with the conversation and found myself so drawn in to it that I actually contemplated buying Justice Scalia's new book to learn more. If Charlie Rose was the only show on TV, all the time, every channel, I'd be okay with that :-)
Anyway, all of this made me think about how much PBS has been such a valuable part of my life all these years. It's something that most of us probably take for granted. I grew up watching Sesame Street, The Electric Company, 3-2-1 Contact, Marty Stouffer's Wild America, The Joy of Painting, and Nature (to name a few). As I reflect on it now, all of these shows made a significant impact on me and I truly believe have shaped me in to the person I am today. And it hasn't stopped as I continue to enjoy what PBS has to offer as an adult.
So on this day of giving I am taking the time to celebrate PBS and to give back. PBS is a resource that needs to continue for every generation. Thank you PBS!
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ReplyDeleteYes, thank you, PBS! "Mystery" (with that fantastic opening cartoon by Edward Gorey) and "Masterpiece Theatre" have presented so, so many things I've loved over the years. PBS has also let me listen to a lot of music that interested me -- uninterrupted by a commercial (except for pledge drives, of course). :)
ReplyDeleteStevie Ray Vaughan playing "Cold Shot" on "Austin City Limits" back in the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giJKztcabLQ
And let's not forget all the great British programming we can enjoy from this side of the pond :-)
DeleteAnd also documentaries! I recently re-watched one about Richard Avedon that I first saw on PBS and wanted to see again.
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