Your Opinion Does Not Matter
Posted on | August 27, 2010 | 5 Comments
I have just read a news story on the BBC’s site. As you can see, it’s linked but for those of you too lazy to bother clicking through, the condensed version is ‘according to a YouGov poll, 69% of people questioned want live voting to alter storylines in TV shows’.
People want to have a say in the plots of the TV shows they watch.
What?
Really? But that’s… I mean… What?
In the good old days, the airing of opinions was confined to your dad ranting about some, barely existent, slight over the dinner table while the family avoided eye-contact. If someone wanted to voice their opinions to a wider audience, they either stood on a soapbox with a loud-hailer and got pointed at or scrawled their poorly spelled, poorly considered, non-thoughts on the nearest wall (like the artistic effort in the photo).
Now though. Now…
The internet has given people the idea that their opinions matter. Worse still, they have the idea that others must be made aware of those opinions. Instead of harrumphing behind their newspapers, morons can now post comments at the bottom of Daily Mail articles online so the entire world knows how correct they really are. Instead of sitting down the pub, bellyaching about immigrants eating cats out of wheelie bins, idiots can start Facebook groups calling for the stoning of cat-eating foreign people.
It’s not just the internet, of course. Simon Cowell and his ilk have their culpability in the public’s erroneous inflation of its self-importance. Look at fucking Jedward for proof that democracy doesn’t work.
Instant, opinionated, gratification is already buggering up politics. How many tough decisions get made when the decision makers (who, in the kindest terms, care only about covering their arses) can see real-time disapproval? Don’t get me started on the democracy that put most of these idiots in power in the first place – that’s a whole other can of educationally subnormal worms.
And now they’ve set their sights on TV. Sweet Willmott-Brown, I pray the big TV cheeses don’t hear of this. Plotting by massive, public, moron-committee? No good can come of it.
Mark my, opinionated, words.
And yes, I’m aware of the irony of blogging these opinions. The difference is that I’m right but feel free to tell me I’m worse than Hitler in the comments below.
Comments
Gerry Hayes
I mostly sit around all day and drink tea. Occasionally, I write stuff and send it to strangers so they can humiliate me and deride my efforts. Other than the self-harm to dull the shame of failure, it's not a bad life. Like I say, there's tea.
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Oh. Meant to say that this story was brought to my attention by the, vigilant, Robin Kelly – (http://twitter.com/robinkelly1/status/22262292950)
As a choose-your-own-adventure sort of one-off TV show, I’d be intrigued by the concept. But the truth is most people are idiots, and I most certainly don’t want the masses deciding what happens on my TV shows.
I think there’s a balance for writing teams when it comes to listening to their fans. I’d point to the old truism about criticism often being able to point out what’s wrong but not usually how to fix it. I think the writing team for CHUCK, for instance, has done a good job of this, making some adjustments based on fan reactions (e.g., keeping Awesome around) while staying true to the arc of the series/characters.
But people voting on specific storyline changes? That’s just ridiculous. I hate people.
I was worried you were sullying my rant with your considered position. That sort of thing’s not what I was going for at all.
Luckily you turned it around with a sweeping, misanthropic statement.
You are redeemed.
If TV viewers are demanding more influence over dramatic, non-factual programming, why can’t we give it to them? http://bit.ly/cvwbIz
Brett
I’ve popped over to your site and read your blog with some interest. I’ve replied over there (as it seemed to make most sense to do so).
NOTE: For anyone who’s read the the whingeing I’ve indulged in here, you should really visit Brett’s link and read his article too. I don’t agree but it’s a very good read.