Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on March 1, 2013 at 11:16am

Enough is enough: Say no to bullying

"Bullying behavior can include people who spread rumors about someone or make a person a regular target of gossip, researchers say. They regularly question someone's competence in front of others. They call people names. They consistently exclude their victims from social events or meetings. They don't give credit where it is due. If they are in a workplace they set impossible deadlines or assign the victim to several pointless tasks to set the victim up to fail or to feel like they don't have any worth.

Some psychologists worry that watching reality TV which can glorify bullying will have negative long-term consequences."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/28/health/reality-tv-bullies/index.html

Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on March 1, 2013 at 3:25pm

I can't comprehend why people like to watch reality TV or bullying from any source.  

When the first reality TV show came-on years ago, I watched a couple of episodes, then stopped because it appeared they purposely chose the meanest people they could find to put on the show, and I can't stand to watch meanness or fighting.

It didn't take long until I could tell from the title of a new show, that it would be that type, and so I wouldn't watch one second of it.

The article said something to the effect that people like those shows because the viewer gets to experience a sort of revenge in seeing other people bullied, like the viewer has been.  Beyond my comprehension why.  I must have a lot more compassion and empathy than those viewers.

It also said "being nice makes for dull entertainment."  I don't understand that viewpoint either.  I love nice people and enjoy watching them.  I get very disgusted with movies that are based on reality, but the real-life people they portray are "too nice", so the director gives them a phony fight scene that never happened.  

Two examples:  I like the movie "Three Little Words", about two popular songwriters in the 1920's that never had a contract between them and always got along great, but the director put a fake huge disagreement in that had them not speaking to each other for months (or years?).  

The second example is "Apollo 13".  I love that movie, but could love it much more if Ron Howard had not made-up a fight between two of the astronauts on their way back to earth. It never happened.  The real astronauts were totally professional.  The mission leader, Jim Lovell said the astronauts all worked together and never argued.  If I remember right Ron Howard admitted he falsified that scene and others for more drama.   As if almost dying many times by blowing-up, freezing, dehydration, CO2 poisoning, and burning is not enough drama.  Give me a break!

Why not show the truth that some people really have it together, are cooperative, nice, kind, loving, and enjoyable to be around?  There’s already way too many shows and movies that show the negative side of humanity. Why lie, and show humans worse than they really are?  It’s discouraging, and frosts my tush.

 

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on March 1, 2013 at 4:50pm

Spud! Exactly right! Mentally healthy, mature, adult human beings can face terrible challenges and behave professionally and effectively and efficiently without throwing temper tantrums. Temper doesn't solve problems, thinking, knowing as much as one can possibly know, and taking decisive actions is what gets one through the tough times. And by all means, don't sit down, put hands together and pray for guidance or instruction, and rescue. That is the epitome of dumb! After the crisis passes, gather together with a nice celebratory beverage and menu and reflect and rejoice on being up to the tasks and overcoming chalenges. Sing, dance, hoop and holler "Job well done! We evolved!"

Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on March 2, 2013 at 9:55am

Sorry I got off topic, from directors enabling bullies to directors lying about how much people fight .  I saw a slight connection and took the opportunity to expound on one of my pet peeves.

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on March 1, 2013 at 4:30pm

I notice too much of the same behavior on the US series, The Biggest Loser, particularly with trainer Jillian Michaels.  I seriously doubt that she has any formal training as a psychologist, yet she seems to feel as though her abrasive, arrogant and abusive attitude is the only tactic which will get through to her overweight and obese charges.  And, because most of the participants of TBL have poor self-images to go along with their poor physical condition, she gets away with it.  I quit watching TBL for multiple reasons, not the least of which is the completely unrealistic training regimen they use, but also because of Jillian's inexcusable attitude.

Once, just once, I would love to see someone on that show who has has the personal strength and chutzpah to stare her down and say, "Ms. Michaels, your position does not behoove your attitude.  You can either start treating me with respect or you, this show and this network will have a serious problem."

She, Gordon Ramsay, and others like them need to be taken down, preferably SEVERAL notches.

Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on March 17, 2013 at 12:57pm

I watched as much of "Sunday Morning" on TV as I could stand today (am I just getting too sensitive or are they putting on more religious stories lately?).

They had a story about "The Bible" mini-series producers Mark Burnett and his wife Roma Downey, and I watched as much as I could stomach.  They said he produced "Survivor", so I looked him up on Wikipedia and see that he produced a large number of "reality" shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Burnett

She has acted in and produced several religious shows, so together they make a very unpleasant pair.