It’s Just TV…Just TV…TV…

 

Too often I am seeing articles and social media trends concerning television shows and films. Is this TV show misogynistic? Is this film empowering? Is this film politically correct? Is this black man a black man or a white conception of what a black man is? (I made the last one up, aren’t I clever?)

 

Based wholly on my own experiential observations I have noticed a rather absurd trend among people (young people these days, when I was a boy all we had to worry about was measles and atomic war, the good old days!) who watch TV shows they don’t like, then tell people how much they dislike the show they are currently watching (for many seasons) and then go onto social media to express their dissatisfaction and then find an  article which agrees with their perspective  and then post the article on social media and then say this show that I watch every week is rubbish and here is why and people reply ‘yes, now I know why I’ve never liked that show….’

 

Weird

 

Deftly sidestepping the obvious, if you don’t like it just change channel or even better, turn off the TV and go outside or read a book or whatever, the possibilities are virtually limitless, it seems strange that people set so much in store by the television and need so desperately to have their opinions validated concerning their tastes and so the echo chamber of nonsense gets louder and more superfluous (have you ever tried defending a show or saying, just turn it off? It is like Daniel and the lion’s den without the divine intervention but luckily I survived by just closing the webpage and not bothering to look at it again).

 

And if one is to attack television for its lack of moral and social responsibility then surely there are bigger fish to fry, dragons to slay or the vegan alternative?

 

According to television to be an adult you must a) drink b) engage in sexual intercourse, the two not seeming to be mutually exclusive. To be and adult and to have fun you have to go to a bar, get drunk, find a girl/boy or if failing that make an a** out of yourself. We can argue about the chicken and the egg but TV has a massive part (rightly or wrongly) to play in shaping society. An example of this is television shows eliminating smoking from most of its shows (exceptions being the likes of Mad Men which was questionable on many levels with regards to misogyny and so forth which was the point of the show but does not excuse the exceptionally bad writing (see my social media blogs, Twitter and Facebook take down pieces on the show…just kidding)) which proves that TV has the power to influence trends (and even create Mayors and Presidents)).

 

Yes, TV shows come along which define generations and change society (and the world, to a certain extent, think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, one of thee great feminist characters and The West Wing) but these shows are few and far between and it is questionable if even they should have such a big influence on the world, I would argue not even though the shows have been very important to me at various stages in my life.

 

A trend which seems to be appearing in my blog at the moment, for which I hope you will forgive me, is personal responsibility. We purposely live in echo chambers which make us feel safe and bored and lash out at anything which challenges our conceptions of how things should be but as with Narnia, a whole universe lies outside of doors (the irony of referring to a book is not lost on me), so maybe we should turn off the TV sets and go outside and to make the world the place that we feel that it should be. After all, Don Quixote tried and look how well it worked out for him!

 

 

‘till next time

C, the doctor is iNN

 

Recently, ever since Trump really, I have been binge watching CNN, even catching up on missed shows, but one thing is really starting to annoy me (apart from my lack of a social life) and that is the presenters and the guests.

 

More often than not good journalism is broken up by people trying to make themselves into stars (works for some). This is to be expected, it is American cable news however, once in a while they cross a line.

 

CNN seems so desperate to be ‘The most trusted name in news’ that it has a bias bias. If the issue is about women then they have a panel of women, if it is about blacks then they have a panel of blacks and women. There may be the occasional white man to argue for the ‘wrong’ side. The premise seemingly being, only women can understand women, only blacks can understand blacks and so forth. However, if the issue is about white men or Jews? Well then they have blacks, and women to speak about them because, after all, white men and Jews? Everyone knows all there is to know about them. The hypocrisy seemingly lost.

 

But, never mind, they are a for profit organisation and need to sell bullet proof hosepipes, baths which are fitted over your old bath and pants to absorb bladder leakage (all real adverts).

 

Yet, as previously mentioned, sometimes they cross the line. Too often the presenters (all classically attractive people in designer clothes) diagnose on air. Mr Trump is, apparently, clinically mentally ill and suffering from dementia. The panellist pile on (with and without the leading questions). Yet how many of them have experience with mental illness? How many are clinically trained and/or experienced in such matters?

 

I, among others it seems, wrote to CNN to complain and CNN rather graciously then had an opinion piece on their website, from one of their contributors, defending CNN’s right to diagnose medical conditions and to attack those who complained as Trump supporters. Just as now, it seems, anyone who disagrees with CNN is shouted ‘FAKE NEWS’ ironically at (but not the irony that they think it is- I even asked one what subtle nuance I had missed (as I just wanted to learn!) when saying that a story about a private letter from Obama to Trump on transition day was made public should not be in the news as it is a private intimate moment between two members of a very hard and exclusive club. Strangely the person refrained from replying)

 

Right…

 

The BBC when reporting sometimes reveal psychological conditions of suspects (a student with Asperger’s…), clinically diagnosed but still questionable. I wrote to them to enquire why they would reveal such information as this a) is personal information and b) can create bias and/or stigma. The reply was that it was important to the case. To the case in court maybe, but in the public court of the world? I think not.

 

Too often moral responsibility is abdicated by those who want to become stars or even by those (such as the BBC) who just desperately want to do the right thing for their audience, the individual be damned.

 

People turn on the news to see the news, not to get op-eds or a presenter’s diagnosis of a serious mental illness. Sooner the media remembers its place the sooner its credibility will return. The war (in the US) against the media and the rise of un-vetted citizen journalism is concerning but just because you are being attacked does not mean that you have to defend and/or pander.

 

What happened to responsibility?

 

‘till next time

 

O, Savannah

 

I have a new hero. A 12 year old Mormon girl named Savannah.

 

On the first Sunday of each month members of the Mormon Church can stand up and unload upon those sat around looking bored and thinking about painting the fence.

The 12 year old girl, having just come out to her parents ‘‘…had a feeling like I should come out to the church,’ Savannah said shyly. ‘I came out to all of my family and I just wanted to do something more.’’ And ‘I want to be a voice for those that might be positive, I want them to know that I’m an ally. That they’re safe with me. I want them to know that it’s OK to be Mormon and be gay.’

 

So on the first Sunday in June, Savannah stood in front of the congregation and said:

 

‘God loves me just this way, because he loves all his creations, I do believe he made me this way on purpose…I hope to find a partner and have a great job. I hope to get married and have a family…I know these dreams and wishes are good and right. I know I can have all of these things as a lesbian and be happy.’

 

She went on to say that there is nothing wrong with her or her parents and just as she was asking the church to stand behind her and support her the mic cut out. The confused girl was then told by the priest to return to her seat as the microphone miraculously came back on. Savannah, shaken, went back to her seat put her face in her mother’s lap and wept.

 

The one good outcome was that it was being filmed by friends of the family who then put the video onto social media (try Youtube). The Mormon Church (namely local Bishop Judd Law) was quick to react to the situation by saying that the recorded video was unauthorized and that a ‘group of visitors jubilantly left the service. … everyone is welcome and understands the standards of decorum and behaviour if they decide to participate. It is unfortunate that this group of adults chose to violate them.’ And that the video was being exploited for ‘political purposes.’

 

Mr Law, I say to you, shame on you! Shame on you, Sir! If the church had have the bravery of a 12 year old girl then the church could be a force for good in the world. Not only are you massacring the innocent but you are also violating the teachings of Jesus Christ. He said let the children come onto me, he said feed the hungry and heal the sick, not depending on sexuality or insurance. Jesus taught compassion and acceptance. You, Sir, are the worst type of hypocrite.

 

Too often too many people hide behind empty sentiments and doctrines to protect their intolerances. Too often we sit in silence and take in on the chin. But not today and not Savannah, the 12 year old girl.

 

Savannah, I take my hat off to you and hope that you find the job you want and the love you deserve. You are truly a remarkable girl and if anyone has any issue with this then I can’t wait to hear from you

 

Thegreaterfool2016@yahoo.com

 

After all what have I to fear when a 12 year old girl has shown that bravery is not always rewarded but is all so inspiring after all the Lord moves in mysterious ways.

 

 

‘till next time!

 

What Happened?

 

In June, Public Enemy released a free download of their new album Nothing Is Quick In The Desert to celebrate thirty years of the band. Thirty years ago the band were rapping about racial inequality and how ‘most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps’ (Chuck D’s autobiography is essential reading). However, thirty years later the social commentary on the album is somewhat different.

 

Talking about Kanye/Kim (I don’t know who they actually are either) and quoting the words, not of Dr King as they used to, but rather of Taylor Swift, PE are raising a very pertinent question what happened?

 

Having risen from the ‘ashes of slavery’, the civil rights movement was about changing the world and, for the most part, they did. It was about moral responsibility. In juxtaposition is Taylor swift’s new song, about the dispute with Kanye/Kim, Look What You Made Me Do. Miss Swift’s publicists have rushed to say that the album release was not meant to coincide with the anniversary of Mrs West’s (Kanye’s mother) death, the very fact they had to do so speaking volumes. Miss Swift, the voice of her generation, all about female empowerment aka refusing responsibility. Would it not be more dignified to wash their laundry in private? And are these ‘problems’ real problems in the grand scheme of the world? (I got 99 problems ad TS ain’t one). The answer is, of course not but it is emblematic of a culture where everything that needs to be said can be done in 140 characters or less and emotions can only be expressed through emojis.

 

I was watching the film Snowden, disappointingly not about the welsh mountain but Edward Snowden, the man who leaked classified intel to The Guardian. Watching the film mad me ask, if a man came to me with classified information would I a) accept the scoop and run the risk of lives being in danger or b) take responsibility and report him to the CIA and give them the files?

 

Not long ago the answer would have been the latter nowadays with the rise of vigilantes who have forgotten the terribleness of war the mutual pride of protecting lives it seems that such notions as value of lives have been lost by the sense of self entitlement and the loss of memory of real suffering.

 

After many long years we achieved almost total peace with the espionage act coming from the code breakers actions and the birth of the EU to protect against fascism and global war and trade inequalities now as we slowly forget the past we slowly break up the peace so many died for.

 

To paraphrase  PE’s latest album, ‘how can you know where you are going if you don’t know from where you came’?

 

‘till next time