22 August, 2005
My Sunday gripe (Big brother)
My idea of a reality show would be a big brother which has homeless contestants as the stars. Why? Everyone thinks that homeless people are junkies and alcoholics or just plain lazy people. Well my idea would be to show just how normal homeless people are. No one has ever really seen just how normal addicts or an alcoholics are. I have heard so many strange comments from people who are supposed to be normal, like all homeless people should be forced to live normally, homeless people should work for a living before they can get benefit and the best one was from some old age pensioner they should be lined up and shot the good for nothings. Most of these reality TV shows don't actually base their shows on reality at all. The only reality part of the shows is how far they will go to get the prize and that's not reality that's greed or need. This world that we live in needs to be shown that people are just people and it doesn't matter what colour or religion they are. After what's happened around the world in the last ten years we need now build a future which does not allow hate to rise to the fore. Can you imagine a big brother with anti Muslims and Muslims. Fanatics and non fanatics. Some people would say let them destroy themselves. To me that's reality. The person who has nothing but will not degrade themselves for love or money that's reality. We all have different takes on reality. Maybe this is just a way of me saying there's nothing on TV.
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There's nothing on tv, you're right, most of it is sensationalised mush and we all lap it up. As long as the people on the screen are prettier than we are, and as long as their lines are well-delivered, they are given celebrity status. It's mush.
The idea of a Homeless Big Brother strikes me as a good one, if simply for practical reasons - 13 homeless people get to sleep in a nice warm bed, have food and hot drinks and laze around, for what, three months?
They could split the prize money three ways at the end so at least 3 people get to rebuild their lives. They could put on 'tasks' that would showcase a person's particular talent, the remaining 10 would surely get something out of it - and even if they didn't get something they could put in the bank, maybe that three months... That time to think in a comfortable, safe environment. Worth all the money in the world, I'd say.
There's a significant problem with this idea though.
People want their entertainment through a soft lens.
They don't want to be uncomfortable. Poverty makes people uncomfortable.
I recently worked as a street fundraiser, trying to get people to donate money to charity. I was pushed, shoved, knocked over - and I'm a skinny short very young-looking girl. They really don't care. It's like the poverty of others is out of their jurisdiction.
I was homeless for three months three years ago. Nothing compared to your experience, I bet! Still... that experience stayed with me.
Unfortunately in about two weeks time I might be heading back that way. You know what happens when I mention, quietly, to my family or my friends, my money and housing situation?
Blank ignorance. Jurisdiction. It's not their problem. It's somebody else's problem. Somebody else will fix it. They're too busy, they're broke.
People don't like a reminder of how bad things could be if they let things slip. Homelessness, poverty, it's a big neon reminder and people are petrified, and angry, and disgusted with those who are poor and homeless.
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