We have no TV now. We got rid of it more than a week ago for the sake of our middle child who was seriously addicted to it, and unable to keep himself from living in Wiggle-Thomas-ABCKids-land.
I am surprised at how well I personally am doing without it. The house feels a lot calmer in general, at night and during the day.
Potential problems may be that I do not keep up with current affairs enough. I also may suffer from Survivor withdrawals, however I'm certain that will not kill me.
I like it.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Power and the lack of it
My daughter and I are watching the series Edwardian House, where 19 modern day people are 'sent' back in time to live and work as a household would have done in 1906.
Life is, of course, bad for the servants. I don't think anyone expected otherwise. What may have turned out to be surprising for some, however, was the difficult time one of the 'upstairs' family had. The lady of the house's maiden sister came to live with the family, but left after several weeks suffering depression and ill health.
It wasn't because of the luxury. She had every perk that a rich woman could have had living in her position. It was because of the lack of freedom that she had as a person.
Because her status was low as an unmarried woman, and because she was dependent on her brother in law for her food, clothes and shelter, she was unable to express her own opinions, choose her own activities, see her own friends, or entertain her own company. The formalities of Edwardian life made it impossible for her to get out and see more of life.
I wasn't surprised. I know how women fare in positions where they have no freedom and no power. In fact, it's not just women. If any person has to live in a position of dependence and powerlessness, it is damaging to health, physical, emotional and mental.
If there's one thing I value, it is my freedom to express my opinions and follow my own interests and passions. I'm so sad for the millions of women and children (and men too, but to a lesser extent) whose lives are so constrained by men in power.
Life is, of course, bad for the servants. I don't think anyone expected otherwise. What may have turned out to be surprising for some, however, was the difficult time one of the 'upstairs' family had. The lady of the house's maiden sister came to live with the family, but left after several weeks suffering depression and ill health.
It wasn't because of the luxury. She had every perk that a rich woman could have had living in her position. It was because of the lack of freedom that she had as a person.
Because her status was low as an unmarried woman, and because she was dependent on her brother in law for her food, clothes and shelter, she was unable to express her own opinions, choose her own activities, see her own friends, or entertain her own company. The formalities of Edwardian life made it impossible for her to get out and see more of life.
I wasn't surprised. I know how women fare in positions where they have no freedom and no power. In fact, it's not just women. If any person has to live in a position of dependence and powerlessness, it is damaging to health, physical, emotional and mental.
If there's one thing I value, it is my freedom to express my opinions and follow my own interests and passions. I'm so sad for the millions of women and children (and men too, but to a lesser extent) whose lives are so constrained by men in power.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
I'm a bit like this
...but my favourite show is Big Love. New season just began on SBS - Saturdays at 8.30.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Escape!
Mum lent me an incredible book the other day. It's the true story of a woman who was brought up in the polygamous cult and Mormon offshoot, the FLDS.
At 18 she asked her father nervously if she could go to college to become a paediatrician. Two days later she found herself married to a 54 year old man as his fourth wife. Her father had asked the 'prophet' of the group for permission, and he had said, yes, she could go to college, but to be a teacher, and she should be married before she went, and here's the name of her husband.
Her life was horrendous. Squabbling women and children, an abusive and power-hungry husband, a lack of money, emotional manipulation and physical abuse, eight pregnancies, three of them life-threatening and a son with a tumour.
Through it all, she was blamed for whatever went wrong. When they didn't have enough money for food, but her husband and his favourite wife were eating steak every night, her husband said, "You should be happy with what I give you. You are in rebellion to me." When she was stalked by a criminal with homicidal tendencies employed by her husband, he said, "You shouldn't encourage him. You are in rebellion to your priesthood head by your actions." When her son was deathly ill and her husband wouldn't allow him to go to hospital, she had to get her parents to help her 'illegally' to call an ambulance, and was then blamed for the whole thing. "If you were perfectly obedient to me, God wouldn't have cursed you with a sick son. It's all your fault."
Life got worse and worse until she took a huge chance and made a bid for freedom. She won custody of her children through the outside court system and is now living a relatively 'normal' life!
I'm particularly interested in the story because I've been so intrigued by the TV show Big Love, which is based in the same cult. Now I've got a lot of background information and more insight into the show.
Scary stuff, when women have no power and are completely dependent on a male patriarchal system for everything. And when it's preached as God's will... even worse!
At 18 she asked her father nervously if she could go to college to become a paediatrician. Two days later she found herself married to a 54 year old man as his fourth wife. Her father had asked the 'prophet' of the group for permission, and he had said, yes, she could go to college, but to be a teacher, and she should be married before she went, and here's the name of her husband.
Her life was horrendous. Squabbling women and children, an abusive and power-hungry husband, a lack of money, emotional manipulation and physical abuse, eight pregnancies, three of them life-threatening and a son with a tumour.
Through it all, she was blamed for whatever went wrong. When they didn't have enough money for food, but her husband and his favourite wife were eating steak every night, her husband said, "You should be happy with what I give you. You are in rebellion to me." When she was stalked by a criminal with homicidal tendencies employed by her husband, he said, "You shouldn't encourage him. You are in rebellion to your priesthood head by your actions." When her son was deathly ill and her husband wouldn't allow him to go to hospital, she had to get her parents to help her 'illegally' to call an ambulance, and was then blamed for the whole thing. "If you were perfectly obedient to me, God wouldn't have cursed you with a sick son. It's all your fault."
Life got worse and worse until she took a huge chance and made a bid for freedom. She won custody of her children through the outside court system and is now living a relatively 'normal' life!
I'm particularly interested in the story because I've been so intrigued by the TV show Big Love, which is based in the same cult. Now I've got a lot of background information and more insight into the show.
Scary stuff, when women have no power and are completely dependent on a male patriarchal system for everything. And when it's preached as God's will... even worse!
Monday, December 17, 2007
It's God's will...
I enjoy watching Survivor and analysing the behaviour of the winners and losers. Hearing the reasons why people think they've been voted out is very enlightening. Bossy ones think they are misunderstood and targeted. Lazy ones think they did their best. There's almost no-one who has a realistic or healthy view of their own achievements or efforts.
This week in Survivor China, Leslie, a Christian radio host was voted off. Why? According to her, it was God's will. She just came to love others for Christ. It was God who got her on, and it was God who took her out.
True enough, in a broad view.
The short-term, more human view, is that she was voted off because she was truly the most annoying person in the tribe. She was cloying, overly sweet, a little bit patronising, too talkative and extremely naive in the way she played the game.
I hate how Christians put all the blame on God for what happens to them, when if they just took a good look at themselves, they could see a whole lot of problems which cause their circumstances.
God might have put her on, but it was more likely the producers who could recognise an annoying team member when they saw one. And God might have taken her off, but it was her own behaviour to her tribemates which riled them enough to write her name down.
This week in Survivor China, Leslie, a Christian radio host was voted off. Why? According to her, it was God's will. She just came to love others for Christ. It was God who got her on, and it was God who took her out.
True enough, in a broad view.
The short-term, more human view, is that she was voted off because she was truly the most annoying person in the tribe. She was cloying, overly sweet, a little bit patronising, too talkative and extremely naive in the way she played the game.
I hate how Christians put all the blame on God for what happens to them, when if they just took a good look at themselves, they could see a whole lot of problems which cause their circumstances.
God might have put her on, but it was more likely the producers who could recognise an annoying team member when they saw one. And God might have taken her off, but it was her own behaviour to her tribemates which riled them enough to write her name down.
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