Comments on: It’s OK to be a “Peeping Tom”…? http://pegasusnlpblog.com/peeping-tom-behaviour-becomes-accepted Information, thoughts and views...with an NLP flavour Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Reg http://pegasusnlpblog.com/peeping-tom-behaviour-becomes-accepted#comment-133 Reg Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:39:31 +0000 http://pegasusnlpblog.com/?p=33#comment-133 I agree up to a point, Colin. The difference being that the actors in TV soaps are faking it (even more) than the participants in Big Brother-type shows. What is really sad is how many people substitute this type of vicarious living for real life experiences. So they get their excitement or kicks or whatever 'second hand' by identifying with characters on the small screen. It's safer, of course, and if the on-screen going gets tough they can always make a cup of tea or open a can of beer in the commercial breaks! I agree up to a point, Colin. The difference being that the actors in TV soaps are faking it (even more) than the participants in Big Brother-type shows.

What is really sad is how many people substitute this type of vicarious living for real life experiences. So they get their excitement or kicks or whatever ’second hand’ by identifying with characters on the small screen.

It’s safer, of course, and if the on-screen going gets tough they can always make a cup of tea or open a can of beer in the commercial breaks!

]]> By: colinpowell http://pegasusnlpblog.com/peeping-tom-behaviour-becomes-accepted#comment-132 colinpowell Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:41:55 +0000 http://pegasusnlpblog.com/?p=33#comment-132 At source, is 'peeping' at the Big Brother household really any different from 'peeping' at the families in Coronation Street ? Although the levels of intimacy may be different, they both involve viewers operating as 'flies on the wall' to a consenting 'target'. They both involve having access to the intimate details of someone-else's private life - albeit one having resulted from a script-writer's imagination. But what I find most unsatisfactory about television is the increasingly trend for human conflict and distress to be offered-up as passive entertainment for the anonymous voyeur. From time to time I suspend disbelief and enter what I describe as 'reality over-dose mode', in which I place myself in the position of television camera, with the whole entourage of technicians, lighting and make-up surounding me. From that fantasised viewpoint, the sight of fully grown men playing at cowboys and indians takes on a whole new perspective ! At source, is ‘peeping’ at the Big Brother household really any different from ‘peeping’ at the families in Coronation Street ? Although the levels of intimacy may be different, they both involve viewers operating as ‘flies on the wall’ to a consenting ‘target’. They both involve having access to the intimate details of someone-else’s private life - albeit one having resulted from a script-writer’s imagination.

But what I find most unsatisfactory about television is the increasingly trend for human conflict and distress to be offered-up as passive entertainment for the anonymous voyeur.

From time to time I suspend disbelief and enter what I describe as ‘reality over-dose mode’, in which I place myself in the position of television camera, with the whole entourage of technicians, lighting and make-up surounding me. From that fantasised viewpoint, the sight of fully grown men playing at cowboys and indians takes on a whole new perspective !

]]>