Sunday, April 11, 2010

Programming the Masses


Nobody's Opinion:
Two of my favorite programs, are Dr. Who, and 24.
I could write for ions on both but, I just wanted to mention a few things...and that's how popular shows are being used more and more to gently shape our opinions about the world at large.
I know this is nothing new under the sun, but it's getting to be more obvious.
In the last episode tonight, of the current Dr. Who before his next regeneration,President Obama, it was said in the plot, was going to save the world from the great world depression: the whole world mind you. This played little part in the plot, where the Evil Master comes back to destroy the universe once again, so one can assume that the inclusion of it was strictly for propaganda.
I'm only halfway through it, so I don't know if Obama actually does save the world at the end, but I wouldn't doubt it. The thought of Obama saving the world from depression is just about as laughable as the tooth fairy saving kids from losing their teeth. Nevertheless, Dr. Who is watched by millions of kids around the world, so that troubles me.
In the original Dr. Who series, Presidents of the United States were almost never brought into praise of any kind, or even mentioned in plots. If they were, the names of the Presidents were fictional.
But Dr. Who...seems harmless compared to 24's last episode, in which a United States general disobeys a President's direct orders, and ties to save New York from losing 59,000 people. (by dirty bomb, of course) The women President had made the decision that peace in the Middle East was WORTH the sacrifice of American citizens. When she found out the general's plot, she arrested him, and the main character stayed true to the President.
What bothered me about this was that they portrayed the general as such an evil guy, and the woman President, as being moral, upright, and completely within her powers to go ahead and sacrifice thousands of American citizens lives, BECAUSE she had worked out a peace agreement with some Saudi leader and had given him her word, that she would work with him on a peace settlement. Even I thought the general was a bad guy, until I thought about the message being drilled into us...ever so subtly, later.
The message was: The world is much more important than a country, and Presidents have the right to choose other country's well-being over their own. What's 59, 000 New Yorkers when you want to go down in the World History Books as responsible as the man or woman responsible for Middle East peace?
I was thinking about these two programs tonight because tomorrow, President Obama is going to "save" the world from nuclear annihilation; he is bridging the world's leaders here to sign treaties, and make himself leader of the world.
I guess he has to do that before he saves the world from the great world depression.
So...here's the question: Do the writers that write these fictional plays for our entertainment, believe things like---Obama is going to save the world, and peace in the middle East is more important than a city? OR...do they get direct orders from higher placed government officials to include certain dogma's in their plots? OR do they, like an actor smoking in a scene, get money for including certain political mantras in their plots?
OR...is it just about what sells? Mixing exciting, action-filled drama, with liberal political messages appeals to everyone...is it that simple?
I wonder.
24 is almost over, and good thing too---it was getting tired. It had some really great shows, and a good run.
But Dr. Who...can go on it seems, forever, because some clever man...so long ago, figured out a way to keep it fresh. You just make the Doctor a Time Lord, and he can regenerate himself over and over again...giving the show longevity with new actors.
Too bad we can't just have our Time Lord politicians serve for just 24 hours. The whole world might be better off.
I can say one thing. I beleive we are all being programed along with our favorite programs.
What do you think?

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amfortas views....:

....both Dr Who and 24, although the latter only when there isn't something better in the TV like a Spanish film in which Victoria Abril takes her clothes off or Penny Cruz looks directly at me with those big brown eyes. (If she played her cards right she could have me). I am always inpressed by the depths of depravity that American Presidents and their hangers-on can descend to. Thank goodness you have Jack 008 wossname to save the day and wipe out dozens of sundry swarthy chaps (usually chaps) every hour.

But to real life. Dr Who. I have grown from a tiddler with Dr Who. They used to be crusty old chaps like me at the start but now they are young shits with no gravitas. Of late (past several years) the Evil Daleks have given way to much worse monsters who are usually the Dr's Assistants. The Donna Noble harridan was appalling. What a banshee. What a bossy, feminazi ratbag she was. For a while I had nightmares that she would be the next Dr Who. Arrrrghhh. !

Rose was spunky and very pretty. I would happily fall into a time vortex with Rose. But all the rest of the bossy, common, loud-mouthed yobettes of various non-English hues with inarticulate boyfriends who are left behind for the guy with the blue box, that were written in to show how 'empowered' the 'new woman' is, I am prepared to give away on ebay.

You think that Pres O'Blarmy has a good showing? You should see what they do with the various UK PMs. Almost every one since 1975 have been women. And a petty dreadful lot to. Big Sister rules on BBC. Even Queen Victoria is written in as a harpy who hates 'Aliens'. They still haven't forgiven Mrs Thatcher for not liking feminists.

Here's a little bit of trivia for you. (Keep it to yourself). Ron Grainer wrote a score for the Dr Who intro. Everyone knows that. The Producers wanted the Radiophonic Workshop to tart it up a shade to be 'futuristic' (everyone knows that too). This was in the days before synthesisers. The job was given to a mathematical and musical genius in the Workshop who crafted each note with electronic gizmos, cut the tapes all by hand and arranged the notes in sequence. Then white noise made a rhythm background.

This genius?

Delia Derbyshire.

A woman.

She is never mentioned !

Let's raise a glass of bubbly to Delia.

12:01 AM  
Blogger Joyanna Adams said...

Well hey there! That was a good bit of news...and yes, I agree...Donna was...gulp...horrible. I too was scared they were going to make her a doctor.

My favorite was of course...Tom Baker, who I once hosted a party for just to meet him, then got too drunk to get up the nerve to talk to him, and when I did, he was so brilliant that everything he said went right over my poor head.

Back in those days, remember the stories were much more creative and they even used BIG WORDS to teach the kids...and lots of the adults too.

But that last bit, was wonderful. Thanks amfortas!

11:41 AM  

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