Yesterday I read an open letter in the usual open letter column in Yedi'ot Akharonot's other weekend extra, 7Nights. The letter was written by my friend Matan Sarig. He wrote to the television critics, saying their criticism of modern television and mockery of the Israeli viewer is a folly. He says that the viewer who wants culture so bad 'can go to the nearby encyclopædia/History Channel and watch it till his smoke comes out of his ears'.
First of all, I was surprised to see it. I didn't know he'd written it (I realised who it was when I saw his name and his whereabouts written), and texted him as soon as I finished reading it to congradulate him. It was very well written, much better than the usual letters published there. It was also very interesting to read and quite thought-provoking. It's a pity that when he wrote he likes watching Big Brother, Survival, &c., he forgot to mention he's one of the most intelligent lads in the school.
However, with all due respect, I beg to differ. I think the fact that the default choice of people would be something more sophisticated. I am strictly against how these programmes encourage people to pry into other people's business for no actual reason, except rating. One has one's own issues one should deal with, what business is it of his what others' are? The common man would most likely resort to his most primal urges and pry, when given an absolutely free choice, which is not something any healthy society should encourage. In this case, deprivation of choice is a positive thing.
Besides, I think what Big Brother does is an absolutely sick thing. Recently, they gave two participants a task: they had to pass a metal ring around a metal wire without touching it. Whenever they touched it, two other participants got an electric shock. This sounds like an experiment done fifty years ago, without any ethic supervision. My mother, who is a sheer genius in psychology (mark my words: she will be the next Freud!), was horrified to hear about it.
I am no psychologist. I understand very little about the field (Sarig's understanding greatly exceeds mine own). But I'd still like to my two cents. So, if any of you know more about psychology and would like to comment, please do.
Ceterum censeo Meam-She'arim Benem-Barakque esse delendas.
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