The Bachelor began its new season tonight, with 25 really beautiful girls parading in to compete for the attentions of one guy. I ended up watching the last half hour or so with half an eyeball while I worked on some pictures and the new banner. The show seems gearing up to be really, seriously, brutal. In the teaser at the end we’re led to believe that one of the girls will try to kill herself later in the season. It made me feel vaguely sick. The competition is catty, and even ugly, but what the hell is going on here?
Quick question: do you believe that you could fall in love under those conditions? Really fall in love?
You’re put in a showcase, with cameras constantly in your face, expressly for the purpose of falling in love. The competition is all around you, and quite ruthlessly intends to look good while making you look bad. Where is there love in any of this primetime posing?
I mean, if I were in that guy’s position I don’t think I could pull it off. I mean, I’m sure I could whittle the girls down to the one I got along best with. That’s not an issue. It’s just a show and I’m sure they get handsomely compensated for their time. Everyone knows they’re all going to be eliminated except for that last one, so while feelings will get hurt it’s an inevitability and you’ll get over it. I just don’t think I could conceivably fall in love.
So there it is. Love has been trivialized far beyond a Hallmark holiday. It’s nothing more than throwing the Jews to the lions. Entertainment at any cost. Driving by the nasty traffic accident has never been easier.
Or maybe I’m wrong. You tell me. Could you fall in love under those circumstances?
I seriously doubt I could. The whole benefit because of another player’s loss really gets to me… but that’s most of what’s on tv these days.
COMMENT:
Well, it’s pretty obvious. But I kinda like your version better so I’ll back you up.
Gurton, old man, sometimes I confess to not being entirely sure where you’re coming from.
well obviously I’m not operating at my full 50% at 8am. I was attempting to zing you with your own zinger. I still don’t know what a dildo is doing on a coffee pot, but I guess you do.
As for the show, I can’t believe they are still making them, but I guess people watch. (sort of like RODS! I suppose)
Could I fall in love under those circumstances? I think not, mostly due to the time constraint. How well could you really get to know someone in 5 or whatever dates?
An alternative observation would be that people in stressful situations tend to find relief in each other. (I’m not going to go as far as compare them to accident victims or persons in natural disasters) I would wager that some persons would actually think they are in love while the pressure and adrenalene is still on, but I’m not sure what would happen when their ordinary lives return.
That’s kinda what I’m thinking. Under so much pressure they’re forming alliances in a pretty natural way. Florence Nightingale Syndrome and all that. But as soon as the lights switch off and reality comes oozing back in… what happens to the passion born of adversity? Who takes out the garbage, you know?
“throwing the Jews to the lions?”. I’ve never heard that expression before. I wonder where it comes form… off to google.
and no, the Bachelor is a crazy show that makes me feel as shocked and ill as that first special, “Who wants to Marry a Millionare”. The couple didn’t last a week, I heard.
Back in Imperial Rome they would entertain the masses with free shows in the colliseum, and part of the show was the routine with Jews & lions. That’s what I meant. We’ve trivialized our most profound emotions for the sake of selling ad space. Nothing is sacred.
I have always heard it as the Christians to the lions, but Jews, same thing.
That’s a very good point. I stand corrected.
A lion that eats Jewish people!
“Love On Safari” – starring Luke Perry & Antonio Banderas! And a lion!
My initial reaction was “like hell I could fall in love under such constraints”, but then I really started to think about it.
Who is to say a person couldn’t fall in love on a TV show? What if the TV show was the twist in fate that brought you to someone who was going to make a giant impact on your life?
Love has absolutely zero rules, it seems. It can happen anywhere, anytime, and to anyone. It’s this cosmic wild card that interjects itself into peoples’ lives, leaving a whole array of possible outcomes.
Love on TV? Love online? Love at a club? Love on safari? Love at church? Love 10,000 ft. above the Earth?
Love is tricky ‘cos it can do battle anywhere.
love, love, love, love….well i do believe in love at first sight but in vegas it is hard to find a man that will love u,nah, they “love” u until they have no more use for u. As for the show it is so much bullshit,it’s so scripted they make them do a scene over and over..and the tears, please…it’s called “visine tears” u can find it at any grocery store.They only go on there to get their 15 minutes of fame, and they are a bunch of pathetic people. I have only seen one show, laughed my ass off..i prefer to watch the discovery channel. The real problem is that people don’t know what the real meaning of love is anymore. Do any of U know the what the meaning of love is???