Recently, I have begun to feel that we take these freedoms for granted. Each time I turn on the television or radio I hear bullying insults that are intended to improve ratings or make people laugh. When did being mean become the standard for humor? Earlier this week, I was listening to the radio while getting ready for work. The DJ commented on the black and white dress worn by a woman (who is pregnant)and said that "Shamu wants it's dress back." He thought that he was hilarious and later went on to say some very cruel things about the older people he sees in the shower at the gym. The irony of this was that, after his diatribe of criticism, he went on to talk about how bullying in schools is so devastating to children and we should teach our children to be more accepting.
As I watched the Oscars last week, the host utilized insults as a form of humor. No one was spared so I finally turned the volume down and walked away. The next day some people acknowledged that he went too far but, if we are to be honest with ourselves, this man's style of humor is becoming the norm in today's culture.
Michelle Obama made an appearance at the end to present an award. I have always seen her as an intelligent and attractive woman even though I feel that her 'Get Up and Move' campaign to prevent obesity is reflective of a shallowness that places the focus on how people look instead of what they can do to create a healthier society. Oscar night is a black tie affair for people of the entertainment world and Michelle Obama, who is married to the leader of the free world, was busy playing movie star. Our First Lady made her appearance in a gown that carried a price tag which would feed many for people for a month and her very presence showed support for a venue that put a bully on the stage to hurl insults. I find it difficult to respect our First Lady when her primary concern is about preening in front of the camera like a celebrity as she completely disregarded the message that she was sending to the rest of the world.
What bothers me so much about what happened with the Oscars, or what I hear on the radio, is that our children are listening to this. In college I did a paper on the "Desensitizing of America" which was about how children, who are immersed in cruelty through the movies and video games, tend to develop a tolerance for cruelty. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6 “to train a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Just as we need to be conscious of the nutritious foods that we put in our mouths,we also need to be aware of the messages that we feed our minds. If we tolerate bullying as a form of humor, then we shouldn't be surprised when bullying becomes as issue in our schools. When we incorporate death and cruelty into our world as a form of entertainment, it will appear in other areas of our lives. I stand by my statement that Mrs. Obama's stance is shallow because I know that I can change my diet to improve my health but the mean spirited diatribe we see in society creates challenges that are far more difficult to overcome.
"We Get What We Tolerate"
Joel Osteen
The constitution gave us the freedom of speech and I do not support censorship, even if I find the message to be offensive. Our forefathers fought so that we would have the freedom to choose, the freedom to be different, and the freedom to share our opinions. Yet, there is a sick sense of irony when people rally against bullying and preach acceptance as they simultaneously use the demeaning comments, delivered in the name of humor, as a form of entertainment. This humor, which really is mean spirited, is gaining ground because too many people have taken a stance of tolerance. Silence sends the message of tolerance to a society that is hurling degrading comments and excuses it in the name of comedy. All I can say is that 'We get what we tolerate."
No comments:
Post a Comment