The Nation - News from July 3, 1986

More Americans get pleasure from television than from sex, food, hobbies, religion, marriage, money or sports, a national survey shows. The survey of 1,550 men and women 18 and older, which appears in the July 12 issue of TV Guide, was conducted to determine what is important to people emotionally. Those taking part in the survey were asked: “Which of the following items give you a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction?” Watching TV was checked by 68% of those responding. Other percentages were friends, 61%; helping others, 59%; vacations, 58%; hobbies, 56%; reading, 55%; marriage, 45%; sexual relationships, 42%; food, 41%; money, 40%; sports, 32%, and religion, 32%.