Profit versus Prudence

As though proof were required of the stultifying, stupefying, brain misfiring effects of lumping oneself before a television screen.

Isn't it common knowledge? Of the kind studiously ignored by those disinterested in such messages? In the first place they generally emanate from that segment of any given population for whom television viewing holds no interest. A state of being that often enough results from having witnessed first-hand the drivel and just plain garbage that represents the main fare of television-watchers.

But here we have !Aha! the world's largest manufacturer of televisions, stating right up front that using their product - 3-D television - may result in very serious physical manifestations of ill health. Sleep deprivation or alcohol intake, they warn, may ensure that your 3-D television experience will result in more than bargained for.

Take, for example, epileptic seizures, or strokes. Fairly costly in terms of well-being for the unadulterated pleasure of viewing a new television experience.

Samsung Electronics Corporation is a highly successful company. It wishes to remain so. The Korean-based company is simply being prudent in placing those warnings at the disposal of consumers. Forewarned is forearmed, although people generally tend to shrug off inconvenient barriers placed in the way of pleasure-seeking.

The company, taking a message of blow-back from what has happened to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company which attempted to tamp down criticism of its products' malfunctions, intends to undergo no such chastening and costly contretemps itself. And has taken the initiative to protect itself by posting the warning that users should immediately stop viewing 3-D images should they experience altered vision, dizziness, nausea or convulsions.

Eager to obtain a new 55-inch 3-D TV? Go right ahead. The company plans to sell over two million of their products this year of 2010. Pregnant women and the elderly, however, should plan to live their lives happily without this new television marvel. But if they do proceed regardless, they should plan to see their doctors immediately they experience untoward symptoms.

As well, according to the Australian website of Samsung Electronics Co.: "Children and teenagers may be more susceptible to health issues associated with viewing in 3-D and should be closely supervised when viewing these images." Imagine how vulnerable and agonizingly conflicted companies like Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp., joining Samsung in the manufacture of these television sets must be.

On the one hand, in producing these new televisions - very expensive they are with this new technology - they aim to clean up big time. On the other hand, there is the undesirable prospect of being sued by disgruntled consumers discovering the extremely deleterious effects of using this new viewing technology selling at between $2,500 to $5,500.

But they're hamstrung, aren't they? Given that more and more movies, blockbuster, hugely advertised films with all the bells and whistles, are going to be produced in the future. Think of the box office success that Avatar proved to be.

Think of how miserable you'd feel about it all, putting on those enabling 3-D glasses and coming down with a splitting headache.