Why are daily ’soaps,’ medical shows, legal dramas so popular?
Ever thought about why the daily “soaps” on daytime television, medical shows, legal dramas, and other such well-worn forms remain so popular on television? It’s my belief that we all have a streak of the voyeur in us. We really want to take a peek behind the window blinds of other people’s lives — and the soaps, melodramas like medical shows and courtroom dramas, and even some of the so-called “reality” shows on television, give us socially acceptable ways of taking those peeks into other people’s lives.So should we do a sort of cultural “shame-on-us-all” about-face and abandon all such television or movie fare?
Maybe. But, of course, that’s never going to happen. Too many corporations and individuals are depending on our cleaned up version of voyeurism for their fortunes.
So should we simply enjoy those guilty pleasures we get watching the inner workings, fortunes and misfortunes, of these fictional people that parade through our televisions? I would suggest that, if you feel uncomfortable watching ANYTHING on television — from trendy fiction to sensationalism on the so-called “news” broadcasts — you probably should punch the button on your remote and turn it off.
Heck, you could always find a good book. Or read a magazine or newspaper, even??
El Nino effects on weather downright confusing to me
I don’t know about you, but the weather effects of what’s come to be known as “El Nino” are downright confusing to me. I just read that the current El Nino — blamed by many for the snowfall and serious winter throughout much of the U.S. this year — will probably continue through spring. That’s sort of good news and bad news, as far as I could tell — depending on where you live.But the worst part is, I can’t find anyone who can tell me in plain English: How will that effect spring where I live and where many others live, in various parts of the Northern Hemisphere and the U.S. in particular?
Depending on which obscure forecasting source you read (and I used Google to find several sites related to “El Nino effects in U.S.”), I honestly don’t know whether things will be hotter than normal here in southwest Missouri — or cooler than normal. I also can’t tell you, after reading several pages of websites, whether the spring will be wetter or drier than usual.
Groan. I guess I’ll do what I do every spring. I’ll stay flexible and be read for the worst — or for the best? I’ll keep those rain boots available, and break out the sandals just in case. I’ll probably keep the ceiling fans slowly running in the house, but also have the air conditioner ready to flip the switch if it gets too hot.
Gotta love weather forecasting, don’t you??
Earthquakes abound; Tibow does ‘6.66′ — are we near The End??
Earthquakes appear to be on the rise, or at least our awareness of them is rising. Not only did the big one hit Haiti in January, there was a true Monster Quake that rocked Chile yesterday.My most biblically literalistic friends all insist that an increase in earthquakes is definitely one of the signs that we are living in the “End Times,” and warn that we may soon be sorry we didn’t take the Bible more literally.
Almost as though God were trying to reinforce the message: Graduated Florida Gators QB Tim Tibow, renowed as a decent quarterback and an all-around-dedicated-Christian-nice-guy registered a 6.66 score in something related to NFL quarterbacking. (Confession: Although I’m a rabid NFL fan, I don’t pretend to understand the combines and their scoring.)
Okay, abundant earthquakes (there was a mostly under-reported 4.4 quake near Oklahoma City the same day as the Big One rocked Chile), Tibow and “666″ — what’s happening to the world and what’s ahead for the Universe as we know it? Should I be looking for a better home insurance quote and life and health insurance while there’s still time??
And don’t forget, the Mayan calendar runs out in 2012, right???!!! (I loved the comment some comedian made when he heard a reference to the Mayan calendar business — “Yeah, and we all know how closely we follow the Mayan calendar.”)
All right, yes, I’m being sarcastic. I was sitting here with little to do this evening, reflecting on the many people I know personally who take such pseudo-Christianity and weird portents of the future waaaayyyy to seriously. I have the utmost respect for their right to believe such things. I just get weary of all the near-magical silliness with which they conduct their lives and which colors their perception of reality.
So I apologize if I’ve offended any of you who are reading this. It’s just my lame attempt at late-evening humor.
But I surely appreciate, too, the terrible havoc and suffering caused by the Haitian earthquake and the Chilean earthquake, and any others that strike. We all ought to give and help in anyway possible.