Shouldn't we have a discussion about American
Idol? All the headlines on the internet are about the latest winner. I about fainted when I read that 74 million people cast their votes for the last episode. I decided to click on one of the headlines to see what the fuss was all about. I never got past two great big huge black bosoms (your word Daniel). I guess they were the winner. Could she sing?
Do you think that LDS Idol viewers could be deeply involved in scripture study? Would those same viewers be on a search for God? Dad and I could barely tolerate the last few segments of American Idol when John Preator was a contestant. The nudity, crudity, and cynicism were constant.
One Ed Week speaker said that inappropriate media entertainment will be the downfall of Americans. Hollywood is winning America's heart while ravaging its soul. He urged LDS people to play the "What Am I Being Taught" game while watching favorite programs. He calls it Watching Movies 101. He says to write down the profanity and crudity heard and seen. Also keep track of sexual insinuations and graphic violence.
Any takers on this? I'd like to hear your results and your feelings.
This same speaker felt that the name for American Idol was no accident. He urged parents not to allow their children to be so involved in the popular culture. It sells behaviors not just products.
He said that so many teens justify their viewing habits with the phrase, "Everyone is doing it." He asked, "How many times do you hear teens exclaim, 'This is so cool that everyone is drowning. I'm going to try it too.'"
One teen told him that he's okay with stuff in movies because he closes his eyes during the bad parts and sings a hymn. Many claim it is only one bad part. Over the course of years those bad parts add up to hundreds of scenes in our minds.
I look at the precious faces of your beautiful children and my beautiful grandchildren and pray that you will not expose them to the culture of Hollywood. Don't ever forget that those who occupy the Terrestrial Kingdom are the good, honorable people of the earth whose first cause was not the gospel. They were faithful to their spouses and family. They were good members of the church, but they did not prove to God that His cause was first in their lives. God could not trust them to perpetuate righteousness in their eternal posterity; therefore they would have no eternal increase.
Let's all shut off our television sets for a week and report our new discoveries. How can you do Media 101 if the television is off. Okay, do it for your one or two favorite programs.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
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Ha! I'll be the first to comment. No, I forgot something. That same speaker said the reason we aren't jarred by this stuff is the same reason people who live by airports and railroad tracks no longer notice the noise of the planes and trains passing by. They have become desensitized to the noise.
ReplyDeleteOk, I'll turn off my TV for a week....or more. Since my satellite doesn't work anymore and my AFN channels aren't coming in right now, I think it will be pretty easy. I just get the snowy screen. :)
ReplyDeleteAbout American Idol: 50% of the 74 million watch it because they love Ryan Seacrest, the host of the show (that would be approximately 37 million teenage girls). 49% of the 74 million watch the program to laugh at the degrading comments Simon makes. 1% of the viewers actually enjoy the music. That's my analysis of the show. I think it's actually one of the more innocent shows on TV. I like Sara's attitude.....just don't have TV in the house. It's a waste of time (great if you're ever in Baghdad) and not watching it will give you much more time to clean the house and check your seven overdrafts. :)
OH BROTHER! I wonder who this little post was aimed at. Oh, wait, could it be Elizabeth...the only person with "your precious grandkids" watching American Idol? Subtle Mom subtle. :)
ReplyDeleteI have no problems with Soren watching American Idol. We had a great time watching it together each week. He would dance around (more like jump around) to the music and Dan and I would make degrading comments about the singers right along with Simon. :) No, just kidding. We actually really enjoyed listening to the unique talents of each individual.
But, I guess we'll take your challenge now, Mom, since all of our favorite shows just ended for the season. :)
Oh, and Mom, maybe people who live by planes and trains aren't desensitized...maybe they just enjoy the noise. I'm going to miss our trains. I love that low rumbling and the occasional whistle.
No, Elizabeth, that's not true. I thought you Daniel and Sara all loved American Idol. I was worried for Ari, too.
ReplyDeletePraise Marcia!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything she has said on this one. American Idol teaches young men the wrong thing about bosoms. We should have "American Breast Feeding" instead!!! Just kidding.
A historian recently wrote a book warning Americans of it's coming downfall, by comparing America to ancient Rome. One of the comparisons was that at the time of Rome's collapse, athletes and entertainers were its highest paid citizens.
Sara was telling me about an article she had just read that said that over 70% of kids in high school have no goal other than to become famous. No one wants to be a biologist who discovers something new. The ones without talent plan to do some kind of reality show and win a million dollars.
Reality shows are a great example of spending time learning nothing. Randy Jackson has said that American Idol is the truest "reality show" because it's the only one where competitors really compete using their real life talents for a real life prize and really get judged... and on, and on.
I would hate for Ari to grow up learning that real life is hanging out away from family, with a bunch of other kids gunning for stardumb (oops, did I spell that right? I think so), while they prance make believe world getting their hair done, getting dressed with expensive clothes that no one in the real world would wear on a daily basis and than getting to plead to 74 million teenage girls to save them after the judges tell the sad truth about their sorry performance.
These lessons amount to: 1) Life is not about contributing to anyone or anything. It is about having people cater to you. 2) You don't make you successful, these people will make you successful. 3) If you don't like the verdict at judgement day, smile pretty and plead to the crowd. Your fate is in their hands.
It's annoying to me that the crowd boos the judges when they tell some they were awful, as if judging is no longer a thing of expertise but of just saying what people want to hear.
I think we could analyze American Idol and find many horrifying things wrong with that kind of entertainment and I agree with Daniel that it is one of the better programs on TV, but just because something is better than the other options is a bad reason to call it good.
This is Dad:
ReplyDeleteSara showed me this quote several years ago. It's profound. Sounds like it's from Pres. Hinckley or some other prophet, but no.
“In other centuries, human beings wanted to be saved, or improved, or freed, or educated. But in our century, they want to be entertained. The great fear is not of disease or death, but of boredom. A sense of time on our hands, a sense of nothing to do. A sense that we are not amused.”
- Michael Crichton
Bravo Jarem. We're so impressed with the comments coming in we'll print them, (can we do that?) and put them in our journals. You are smart chidlren.
ReplyDelete