Just Thoughts: Who Are We

By Joyce Davis

One of my ‘go to’ shows to watch when I need to reset is Firefly. I love that show. As I was recently watching it, I thought about what they did. They were smugglers, thieves, and murderers. They were people that opposed the government and lost. Yet these were people I celebrated. It made me think of some of the shows that I loved that in real life I would look down on the people in it.

Scandal was a show that captured America. The character of Olivia Pope was a treasure for Kerry Washington. She was a flawed character that did good for others so we all rooted for her. We looked past the fact that she was an adulteress and sleeping with the president of the United States. So many of us rooted for the affair. Not because we were bad people but they showed us the heart of the person on the other side. They made the wife out to be a bad person so it was okay for us to root for the person that does good for others.

Another such show is Dexter. The child of a drug informant who witnessed the murder of his mom therefore, he became a serial killer. The reason we accepted him was he only killed the bad guys. Week after week we hoped a serial killer was not caught by the police so we could have more entertainment. I hated they killed officer James Doakes, but was glad he could not be a problem anymore.

Do you ever ask who we are? For centuries entertainment has been barbaric; which says to me that is a part of who we are. That is the makeup of human beings. We are evolved animals that don’t like to be classified as animals. Definition of animal: A living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli. We are animals that have animal instinct. Even in the most refined societies you will find the crudest of sports done in a proper way.

Television is an outlet for the most part. We need to see the ‘little guy’ get back at the big guy. As long as we feel you have a good reason for murder, we support you. Who doesn’t love The Godfather or Scarface? We celebrate culture that in real life we would instantly condemn. I have no judgment on these matters but it does make me wonder about who we are. How far is too far? Is there no ‘too far’? Is art expressive and should have no bonds of degradation in the name of art? Are people stable enough to know that it is entertainment not to be emulated? If life imitates art do, we then censor art?

I have no answer as these are just thoughts. What are your thoughts on the matter? I would love to know.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]