As we view those shows there are, in the natural course, three audiences. The first two are simple; those adults who’ve decided what they believe and the show either reinforce those beliefs, or unsettle the viewers with its inaccuracy. It will be just another in the polarizing events that drive us apart. The third audience is the one that most troubles me. The young who are struggling to find their own beliefs, to decide what is right and what is not.
The young who watch these shows walk away with impressions the next show will only deepen. They will believe that liberals are always concerned with human rights, and conservatives are not. They will believe the rhetoric that going against the liberal point of view you, as a person, are vile and selfish.
As our nation debates the critical issues of today, I guess it is to be expected that the entertainment industry will take sides. They always have and being a part of this society they have that right. If I were for bigger government, and a more intrusive set of regulations I would argue for bias ratings for all shows. We have content ratings today “G,” “PG,” and such, why not bias ratings while we are at it?
But I am not for bigger government, and I believe we all have the ability to think for ourselves so we don’t need more FCC guidance as to what we are about to watch, it falls to parents to talk with their children about how we as individuals fit within the local, state, national, and international communities. If we let television, the Internet, or even our teachers take over than we fail in a critical role as parents.
2 comments:
I like how you avoid naming programs so that they don't get more free advertising.
The best regulation is within our own hearts and minds. To know about subjects with any clarity or depth one has to check sources, get as close to the original info as possible... And when sharing with others it is good to be clear about where "facts" came from...
starting with what we have seen with our own eyes, touched with our hands, heard...and of course even then everyone is a subjective vessel, it is the nature of man. But a person can become a person of character who is willing to hear the facts, deal with the ambiguities, and not polarize to such an extent that they would rather lie than learn other than their pet bent.
Yup, it comes down to parents being responsible for their children. That means using every opportunity to teach them. Too often, I think, parents miss it. Perhaps they say something about the morality, but don't teach anything about the thought process. It isn't difficult to mock the basic liberal pietism model and make them look every bit as ridiculous and shallow as they are. It might almost be worth watching TV to do it.
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