(U-WIRE) CORVALLIS, Ore. –
Along with 7 million other people in the United States, I have become addicted to the newest “reality” TV show “The Osbornes.” Every Tuesday evening revolves around getting to a quiet place to watch Ozzy and his family hack out family issues. But what is it that makes this sort of television show so appealing?
We all know that by the time the producers and censors have gotten around to editing the material, the only thing that is left is the amusing material. The “reality” television material that is presented to us is mind-numbing and unrealistic, but it does provide a way for people to waste an hour or so of true reality.
Why is it that we choose to sit and watch
an episode of “Change of Heart” or “The Jenny Jones Show” rather than go to class, or even shower for that matter? It’s all about
human weakness.
Weakness is a personal defect or failing. Obviously someone has a defect if they decide to stay at home just to find out what Rude Jude has to say about the overweight women who want to become models on Jenny Jones. Culture has developed into a mode where it is perfectly acceptable to label watching these shows as personal or family time.
No matter what kind of task is at hand, people are always looking for an easier way to get things done. This is how our culture runs. Sitting in front of the television has become such a cultural norm that productive family discussions have been replaced with watching people eat buffalo testicles on “Fear Factor.”
Free speech did exist back in the ’50s, even though it was taboo for a woman to wear a dress that fell above her ankles. For some reason,
family programs stayed mild and there was a large emphasis on developing a quality family. This is a revolutionary era when we are just now starting to question everything that was taught to us. Baby boomers are out seeking therapy for the traumatic childhoods they experienced back when values were stressed. The suppression of that speech is what led to what I see as widespread cultural frustration.
Now that the people who grew up under those circumstances are controlling the media, we are seeing a shift to a more liberal view about what makes it on the air. Because all the controversial issues were never shown on television, let alone spoken about openly with the family, society is starting to see the shifting trend toward bringing all of these issues to the surface.
The real issue here is how we want our nation’s youth to be raised. Media has become an invaluable asset and will play a serious role in how almost everyone grows up.
Sensitivity in addressing real issues has become vital to our society. However pointless it is to watch someone devour the reproductive parts of a buffalo for $50,000, it still represents the way our media are not afraid to address taboo subjects.
We have already gone too far to ever go back. We will have to live with the material that is presented to us on television, but it remains up to the parents when it comes to the raising of youth.
There are pros and cons to what the First-Amendment protected media have become. We’ll always have some complaints about what is on television, but families are just going to have to deal with the fact that it takes a little more policing of the television. On a personal note, cable is out altogether; I’m pretty sure my child will only be watching OPB and Barney videos.

This column is courtesy of Chris Chase of Oregon State University’s newspaper, The Daily Barometer.