I find there to be profound wisdom in proverbs, sayings and quotes and I marvel at the way they are so succinct in communicating messages to the reader. Mostly anonymous, they come to us from past generations and from across cultures. They speak of the experiences of lives lived and lessons learned.
Quotes, like proverbs, can make us think about moral and ethical issues.
The preponderance of reality TV shows, of late, has me questioning just why it is so many find them fascinating. After all, they feature individuals that are quite different to the mainstream public, or focus on the more marginal sectors of society.
Why do we have a morbid curiosity for those who are dissimilar to us?
Yet we criticize, shy away or even distance ourselves completely from them if we were to meet them in real life?
Not only do many of us become addicted to watching such shows as ‘Married at First Sight‘, or ‘Teen Parents‘, but we might actively criticize or judge them, from the comforts of our living room.
Why do we do this?
Is the simple explanation, as some theorists might have it, that our neural circuits have evolved to pay more attention to things that are perceived to be a potential threat?
“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
-Albert Einstein
If we are simply curious, sometimes morbidly so, are reality shows such as ‘Botched Bodies‘, just another manifestation of staring at the ‘Bearded Lady’ in the Circus Freak Show of years gone by?
Is it natural to be curious? Or too inquisitive?
Do you consider the media might have a role in discouraging prejudice or judgemental behaviours in society, by limiting promotion of such voyeuristic programs such as “Bad Mothers” or “Swamp People?”
I wonder if proliferation of this type of show desensitizes us to differences between individuals or conversely, does it highlight and therefore, exacerbate prejudice?
Come and walk a mile in my moccasins, before you criticize who I am.
Kom och gå en mil i mina mockasiner innan du bedömer vem jag är.
Swedish Proverb
Is there a case for censorship of these shows on moral or ethical grounds?
If you favour censorship of some kind, would that censorship effectively remove an individual’s right to make a morally appropriate choice and thereby limit tolerance of marginal folk in the long run?
Do you consider the freedom of the individual so vital that only we can decide for ourselves, what each of us feels is and is not appropriate or socially acceptable?
Everyone’s opinion is important. What is yours?
Sunday Sayings invites you to join in the discussion by leaving a comment below.
Something to Ponder About 