Getting It Wrong

I work out every weekday morning at a fitness center. Part of this workout includes spending some time on a treadmill for cardio. In front of these machines is a bank of television sets. One of these is usually tuned into MTV. This station is clearly not the MTV which I was first introduced to in college. I have yet to see a music video during the entire time I have been a member of this fitness center.

The MTV of my younger years was all about music videos but the formatting seems to have changed a lot since then. The show, Ridiculousness, is on a couple of mornings a week. I do not listen to the audio but what I have been able to find out from watching the show, the show is the sharing of a series of videos from the internet. A description of the show found on Google says, “When it comes to Internet videos run amok, however, the more zany, unbelievable and downright dangerous the clips are, the greater the chance they’ll be shown on this series.” The host panel, which includes some celebrity, critiques each video. My opinion of the show is that it should not be on any television station. I began to think about what would make this type of show appealing to anyone as I watch people do very dangerous and painful acts upon themselves and others.

The appeal of this show (liked by 92% of Google users), gives us a glimpse of what has become acceptable in our society. Much like in the days when people would fill the Coliseum in Rome to watch lions and other animals attack humans, people today appear to enjoy watching others perform violent acts. Some may argue that this is the case when it comes to American football as well but I would say that at least there are rules, some forms of bodily protection, and a display of athletic skill. What I have seen on this show is amateur videos where cruel and painful pranks are the norm. The recording of accidents of all types are also often part of the videos shared.

As I watch five or so minutes of this show (because that is all I can stomach), I find myself filled with anger and a great sadness. I become angry because the participants in these videos seem to delight in causing pain to others. I am angry because someone stands there with their smartphones or some other recording device and witnesses these dangerous and violent acts without interceding. Sadness overcomes me to think that I live in a world where many individuals not only accept these actions but even view them as entertaining. This sadness also is due in part to the realization that we have become so numb to these behaviors that we do nothing to stop them.

We are getting it wrong! We need to start taking a stand in regard to what we find acceptable in our world. Our statements against violence toward one another need to be loud and frequent. I would think that we have more options for entertainment which builds us up then what is found in this program. If we do not speak against this, the younger individuals in our society will find this more and more acceptable. We will continue to adopt behaviors more in line with second century Rome than ones in line with an enlightened human race. All of us know that violence begets violence.