Okay, so I have been stewing on this for awhile and after bouncing it off a few people, I am ready to bring it to you....
Given our age of 'Reality'-driven programming and what feels like an increase in bullying behavior in our children, is it possible that our behavior is at fault?
Hear me out!
Take shows that include 'Survivor', 'Big Brother', 'The Bachelor', 'Hell's Kitchen', 'Jersey Shore', 'American Idol', 'Toddlers & Tiaras' and God help me: 'Real Housewives of ___" (who are ANYthing but housewives)...in my experience watching these shows, inevitably one or two things occur everytime a show airs: someone on the show belittles/judges/bullies another show participant ....OR the viewer sits there in judgement of the show participants.
In the first instance, our children/tweens who are watching this behavior are being fed what message? If you act like a jerk, you will be looked at as interesting or may even become a TV star for your jerk-dom? That being ruthless, underhanded and two-faced are personality traits to be revered?
And when we sit there and 'call out' the people with clearly no talent and look foolish on shows like American Idol, are we inadvertently teaching our children to be judgemental and cruel? When we mock those pillars of morality and decorum from 'Jersey Shore', are we not contradicting ourselves: 'don't behave like that' but when other young people do it's entertainment?
While I kind of like Gordon Ramsey and understand what he is attempting to accomplish, the man is abusive and earns huge ratings for his bullying behavior. A young person who watches, may think they too deserve to be crapped on if they are slow to learn something in school.
We, as parents, take great pains to shape and influence the character of our children...but I have to ask: have we been oblivious to the subtle damage our own behavior is having on their development of what it is to be kind, gracious and accomodating of all the different people they will encounter as they move through life.
Do you think the combination of reality programming and our behavior as viewers can be worsening the bullying we are seeing in our children?
-Nicolle
Nicole, I think you're on to something. The negativity and criticism is overwhelming. Sometimes I feel like we aren't any better than the Romans feeding the Christians to the lions. I found this last couple of seasons of American Idol have been better and more affirming than critical and judging - the others I won't even watch. We've forgotten how to be entertained.
ReplyDeleteI ABSOLUTELY agree with you Pamela! Other than Swamp People (love the Cajun accents) and American Pickers, I can't get invested in the cruelty and 'base element' that seems to be the prime directive for many of these hugely popular shows.
ReplyDeleteAnd for sure: we HAVE forgotten to be entertained or SHOULD at the least, be demanding better entertainment!