Image Credit: NBCIf there was a Nobel Prize in Awesome, it would go to TV.
In its most recent achievement in the field of awesomeness, TV recently helped save a Portland teen’s life. Well, I guess some credit also goes to Bear Grylls, whose show Man vs. Wild armed the teenager with the skills he needed to survive 10 hours on a mountain in frigid temperatures.
The boy, a fan of survival shows including the aforementioned, got separated from his mom while descending Mt. Bachelor, and upon realizing his predicament, built himself a snow bank to stay warm and using the North Star as a guide. Pretty smart stuff — although, I’m sure it could be argued that had he been an avid fan of the Weather Channel, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Nonetheless, major points for on-your-feet thinking, teen.
This story of boy vs. wild also got me thinking: What other valuable skills or tricks have we learned from television? I feel like I learn something new every day because of TV (half of them are probably wrong, I’m sure). But I only remember putting anything to important use once.
A few years ago, a man sitting next to me at Whataburger started having a massive seizure, and after watching the doctors on ER treat seizing patients for nine seasons, I knew that the man had to be rolled on his side so he wouldn’t choke on the nastiness coming out of his mouth. To be fair, I also vaguely remembered a health teacher confirming the show’s claim or else I wouldn’t have spread the knowledge to the bystanders helping him. Still, it was a good day to be a TV watcher.
So while my dedication to building a library of TV-acquired knowledge will do nothing to help rescue me from Mt. Bachelorette, it did come in handy once. What about you, PopWatchers? Share your stories.
How to make a boy! Can’t wait to see last night’s HIMYM!! Pressing play now!
Rock of Love taught me how to follow my heart and go for what I want in life!
FTW
Wouldn’t the best thing have been to go back to the marked trail that he was on so that the ski patrol would find him instead of wandering off and getting lost?
Why give advice on something you have no idea what the situation was for this teen? Where you there?
“Dawson’s Creek” helped me with crazy roommate drama that still persists.
Watching “The Walking Dead” has helped me prepare for the impending zombie apocalypse.
YES! Best example ever!
“man vs food” makes it ok to each meat, cheese and all sorts off food and not feel guilty
Mine aren’t, uh, life saving, but the first one to come to mind is that you can turn a container for coins into a giant wine glass (RIP Big Joe)
long live big carl
Foxnews taught me that I don’t have to be intelligent to have an opinion.
HAHA. SO FUNNY. way to be original.
HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!
msnbc taught me you don’t have to be civil or respectful anyone else to have an opinion.lol at fan boy comments
I learned from both “Lost” and “Gilligan’s Island” how to survive on a deserted island, especially one that is not so deserted. Dealing with Others and how to make coconut phones are now on my list of survival skills.
‘Mythbusters’ has some great lessons about how to get out of a submerged car.
Designing Women taught me how to terminate obnoxious people, and stay classy whilst doing so.
Being born after the fall of the iron curtain, I learned most of my Russian Cold War knowledge from Alias.
Also most medical terms (petechial hemorrhage, asphyxiation…) from CSI and Grey’s.
But by far the most useful is probably that, when carrying a gun, you should always angle it down so you don’t accidentally shoot your partner in the back or some innocent person who happens to surprise you.
One word – MacGyver!
1,000 Ways to die taught me that there are some pretty stupid people out there and to avoid them when they are drinking.
Law & Order has taught me that should I ever decide to become evil, I can commit a crime and get away with it.