Bring Back The Lions!
April 11th 2008 01:39
Entertainment today seems to be a neverending cavalcade of human grotesquery. And no, I'm not just referring to american style laughter in a can type sit-coms. Ever since the second man wondered what the first man did when he thought no one was watching, we've been particularly caught up with the idea that voyeurism is somehow cool and chic. That shock value stimulates us beyond our ordinary mundanity into a higher level of human awareness. Reality Television is the biggest culprit of this type of high quantity brain cell serial murdering. And judging by recent trends, it's only going to get worse.
Big Brother for example (a show which I can happily and proudly say I have never watched an entire episode of and intend to keep it that way) relies on being able to provide a series of severe shock and excitement and, if it can, a sense of perversity on its viewers. Therefore we can quite easily watch the housemates cavorting around drunk and happy and trying to get onto each other. And of course, with our sensationalised media philosophy, this is how they want to act. The theory is that by recruiting as many extroverts as they can, they can somehow put forward something that is cool, interesting and will make people want to spend lots of money supporting. The result is that the try-hard wannabes that flourish on the show often end up in the depths of television's "I don't remember who you are and I don't care." vault. The actual push for variety never happens. Hey, I've got an idea, for a really conflict based reality television show, get fifteen people from different religions together. But not just different religions, different denominations of that religion. For example, three different kinds of christian, three different types of muslim, three different kinds of hindu, three different kinds of alternative faith people and of course, three atheists/agnostics. Now that WOULD be a show driven by conflict.
But of course, reality television needs to be as perverse and shocking as it can be, and it seems as if the Dutch (who gave us Big Brother in the first place) have found a new way to lower the average intelligence of the viewer even further. This link here only shows that we are not getting any better except at getting worse. My wife also told me that in Russia they have a show where a bunch of young people all had to move into a house, build it, get together and stay together to win. IT was supposed to run for a season or so. What happened? Simple. Young random peope with cameras on them and alcohol supplied lead to them shagging each other as many times as they could. Getting together, shagging, breaking up and then repeating the cycle with almost everyone else there. The show has been running for more than two years now.
We've been told that Jasmine is Getting Married and it didn't stir our hearts. We have found out that some Australians can indeed dance and some can also sing. We've also seen that some of us can lose weight and better ourselves. But is any of this helping? Is any of it worth watching? Why don't people go out and buy a good book?
JZ
Big Brother for example (a show which I can happily and proudly say I have never watched an entire episode of and intend to keep it that way) relies on being able to provide a series of severe shock and excitement and, if it can, a sense of perversity on its viewers. Therefore we can quite easily watch the housemates cavorting around drunk and happy and trying to get onto each other. And of course, with our sensationalised media philosophy, this is how they want to act. The theory is that by recruiting as many extroverts as they can, they can somehow put forward something that is cool, interesting and will make people want to spend lots of money supporting. The result is that the try-hard wannabes that flourish on the show often end up in the depths of television's "I don't remember who you are and I don't care." vault. The actual push for variety never happens. Hey, I've got an idea, for a really conflict based reality television show, get fifteen people from different religions together. But not just different religions, different denominations of that religion. For example, three different kinds of christian, three different types of muslim, three different kinds of hindu, three different kinds of alternative faith people and of course, three atheists/agnostics. Now that WOULD be a show driven by conflict.
But of course, reality television needs to be as perverse and shocking as it can be, and it seems as if the Dutch (who gave us Big Brother in the first place) have found a new way to lower the average intelligence of the viewer even further. This link here only shows that we are not getting any better except at getting worse. My wife also told me that in Russia they have a show where a bunch of young people all had to move into a house, build it, get together and stay together to win. IT was supposed to run for a season or so. What happened? Simple. Young random peope with cameras on them and alcohol supplied lead to them shagging each other as many times as they could. Getting together, shagging, breaking up and then repeating the cycle with almost everyone else there. The show has been running for more than two years now.
We've been told that Jasmine is Getting Married and it didn't stir our hearts. We have found out that some Australians can indeed dance and some can also sing. We've also seen that some of us can lose weight and better ourselves. But is any of this helping? Is any of it worth watching? Why don't people go out and buy a good book?
JZ
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Comment by Winston
Small Thoughts on Big Questions
There's a show out now that hooks people up to a lie detector and then asks them embarrassing (and potentially conflict causing) questions. If the machine says they're lying, they lose. If they tell the truth, they win the money. First of all, it's doubtful if it's even real, as "reality" is a bit of a misnomer in that genre. More importantly, it's disgusting that people would be willing to compromise their integrity or expose themselves or those close to them to national embarrassment for money. Are you kidding me?? I'd like to think that you can't put a price on dignity or self-respect, but apparently Fox Network has that covered.
Incidentally, I would actually be intrigued by your suggestion to tweak Big Brother (a show that I have never even watched past the opening credits). At least there might be SOMETHING worth talking about in that scenario.....
Good post!
Comment by JoshZ
reality TV does not exist. What does exist is a series of televised pictures with accompanying audio that has been editted to forward a certain agenda or perspective.
I've heard of that lie detector game and I've wondered about it. Surely there would be someone (someone like Ned Flanders) who would get away with a lot of money and not be embarrased.
See ya later,
JZ
Comment by Roger Harris
Show Me Don't Tell Me
Jesus Christ--Altogether Lovely
In Love with Jesus Christ
Some 7000 Sunrises
Tropic Gardener
I have been looking at your site for some time and feel that I see a mature (or at least a maturing) Christian writing here. I appreciate your point of view usually.
Keep up the good work.
Roger