My Theory About Social Experiments on TV

Per heard a TV executive say, "If you want people to change their minds, have them pity the thing". I believe it's true and add 'and like the people'. Pity it, like the people, and change views. I think the following TV shows are experiments to get people to change views:

1. SISTER WIVES. Real intention: Get people to change views on traditional marriage. Most people think polygamy is wrong but will soften views on traditional marriage because of liking the family. (TLC)

2. THE PEOPLE'S COUCH. Real intention: Get people to embrace things shunned (swearing, certain TV shows). A lot of people think conservatively, but because shows are shocking and the cast (people watching the shows) are liked and new shows are watched out of curiosity. Once a new show is watched it keeps being watched partly because the cast watches the show and they are liked. (BRAVO)

3. GLEE. Real intention: Get people to embrace things shunned (i.e. Teen pregnancy, teenage drinking, homosexuality, etc.). The characters on this show are likable, felt sorry for, and pitied. (FOX)

4. THE REAL HOUSEWIVES. Real intention: Get people to think money and the one's who have it are bad. The housewives are catty and full of drama. They act incorrectly and they also have money. The Real Housewives are watched because they do shocking things, but the idea is that money makes them evil. (BRAVO)

5. DUCK DYNASTY. Real intention: Get people to believe religious people are hillbillies. The cast do the outrageous then end every show with a family dinner and prayer. The show exploits the cast and mocks religious people. (A&E)

TV Shows these days have agendas. TV Executives want to get viewers and some also want to change public opinion. (Changing public opinion seems to work: some of the things once shunned are now accepted.) My Estimation of the ultimate real intention: Get people to turn away from conservatism. I won't be persuaded to change my views, and I hope when some shows are watched that reality is realized.

My Theory About Society

(This is from an American perspective) For most of the 80's America had a conservative president and society was appropriate. Inappropriate things started to show on TV (violence, rudeness) but the norm was 'appropriate'. Americans equated success with money and America appeared successful. Underground, a few social groups pointed out the poorness of other countries, the cruel treatment of animals, and how 'greedy capitalists' were ruining the environment-especially the rain forest. The social groups were viewed by many people as extreme.

For most of the 90's America had a non-conservative president. Some people turned away from conservatism to the inappropriate. More extreme things were liked (Roseanne, Jerry Springer). A few social groups caused change in the way we talked (political correctness), the way we treated animals (dolphin-safe, PETA-vegetarian), and the way we treated the environment (EPA-protect the spotted owl and the wetlands).

For most of the 2000's America had a conservative president. More people (than in the 90's) liked inappropriate things and didn't like the conservatism of the president; they bashed him and criticized him harshly. Things became even more extreme. Some people wanted to re-define the word 'appropriate'.

From 2010 to now America has a non-conservative president. Many people have turned away from conservatism to embrace what they once considered inappropriate. A lot of extreme things are liked (on TV, in magazines, and on the internet). Social groups are no longer underground and in some cases seem to run society (instead of government). Money is not equated with success but equated with evil and greed. Truly, good is bad and bad is good.

I'm not a social analyst but it doesn't take a degree to notice the direction of the world. In my non-professional opinion (based on the last few decades) society will get more extreme. It's a distraction designed to keep me focused on things over which I have no control and stop me from focusing on things over which I DO have control: my character.

I look at the last few decades of history and say, "I won't get distracted. I'll focus on my character and ignore the direction of the world. I know where I want to go and what it takes to get there. I won't let society get me off course."

I Love People

My illness has caused me to relate to many people.

I relate to people who have a terminal illness because they have a disease that will never go away. The illness has dramatically changed their life and has caused them to possibly think about things that they otherwise wouldn't. People who are terminally ill need some kind of treatment to feel better, so do I. Not everyone has the same kind of illness, and not everyone has the same type of MS. People without a terminal illness can never completely understand someone who does.

I relate to older people because they move slower than they once did. Older people feel young inside, but they can no longer do what they once could. Not only can I sympathize, I can empathize. I love older people. They have rich lives that don't end just because they get old.

I relate to people who suffer hard trials because my trial is hard too - sometime I cry. Sometimes I say, "This isn't fair!" The unfairness of life is crappy; it hurts. I don't discount people's trials but hope they won't let their trials defeat them. Trials are hard to endure but they can also make people stronger.

I relate to people who are what I used to be. I used to be very private and think my world is my world and your world is yours. After getting sick, I felt very transparent. Things dramatically changed for me in a way that I thought people could see right through me. When I got sick, the real me caused me to consider myself average instead of better. I didn't go around thinking of myself as superior but I reached for perfection and considered myself above others who didn't. I remember sitting in my car at a red light, after receiving my diagnosis, and thinking, well, now I get to feel what everyone else feels. I didn't want to be average but above average. Although my disease made me like everyone else, no one was me and that made me special.

I relate to people who appear perfect because I, too, liked the appearance of perfection. When someone came over, I cleaned beforehand because I felt good knowing that I had an immaculate house. On another note, whenever someone saw me I hoped they'd realize I held nothing back in trying to look nice. My hair always looked clean and groomed. My fingernails were always clean. I always wore shoes and clothes of the latest fashion. My makeup always made me feel pretty. I would never have dreamed of going out in public without looking my best. After getting sick, I could only sit - otherwise, I got hot and wanted to cry. I felt angry that I could't do things because I wanted to do them. I felt horrified to ask anyone for help because I didn't want to appear weak - I wanted to do things myself (clean, cook, and do everything I no longer could). I walked in a very unstable way and wore shoes that stabilized me. I quit my job and no longer had the money to by myself things; shopping didn't feel good anyway because I couldn't stand very long before wanting to sit. The changes in me made me feel very insecure and exposed. I didn't want people to judge me. Although I could no longer do a lot of things, people wanted to show me their love.

I look back on the past four years and see that my outlook on life and on people has softened. All I can do is honestly acknowledge my past and hope that someone will benefit from what I say. My current feelings are that I love people. I believe that they're good; that they can do many things; that they have a lot of strength; that they have will-power; that they can accomplish great things; that they are capable of having patience; and that they're everything they wish to be but think they aren't. My greatest hope is that people will see the good and love themselves.