This is pretty clear-cut. Just statements from psychologists, mostly.

Alpha waves don't appear normally until the age of 10 or so. Possibly a defense mechanism. A kind of "neutral" gear for the brain as it is forced to make more and more complex and important critical decisions. So a "rest" mode develops.

Television's cycle rate (and for that matter your computer monitor's) put the brain into an alpha state. In that state you are highly suggestible. You can be sold cars, clothes, wars and torture.

Many people DO live in a largely alpha state nowadays because they have a television running all the time.