In response to the thought question number one, I concur to a certain extent.  It is my opinion is that it depends upon the program.  For example if you are watching a mindless cartoon, containing colorful witless characters bent on each others destruction, it will most probably lull you into a state of idleness. If in fact you decide to enroll yourself in thought on the scientific phenomenon of the Tesla coil, you would watch a show located the science channel, thus engaging the tool of imagination on the mater of how to power his or her house on a nine volt battery channeled though the a Tesla coil. Books on the other hand force you to use your imagination by placing words on a page that trigger images to form in your mind in doing this, you create a story. My result being that Shakespeare, an intelligent and most wise, would end on the same note as I.