“If we had no faults of our own, we should not take so much
pleasure in noticing those in others.” Francois de La Rochefoucauld
“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,” while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your
own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” Jesus
Reality television has been around awhile, its roots in such shows as “Candid Camera” and game shows, increasing with writers’ strikes in 1988 and 1997. Whatever its origins, however, it shows all signs of being here to stay. What started with “Big Brother” has mushroomed into everything from “Trading Spouses” to “Intervention.” From the comfort of our couches or bedrooms we peer into the lives of those hoping to become the next celebrity dancer or vocalist, hoping to survive, hoping to win the race. We look at the nitty gritty details of the world’s dirtiest and most dangerous jobs. We go with scientists on expedition, doctors into surgery, ride with police officers arresting an endless parade of bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do…
Our taste for so-called “reality” appears to know no bounds. Why, exactly, are we entertained by “Hoarders”? Each program introduces viewers to individuals or families currently burying themselves in their own squalor. They may be facing eviction, divorce, losing children to Social Services, or other crises because of their accumulation of…stuff.
We came across “Hoarders” not too long ago and have watched it a few times since. The first time, though, it was immediately clear what the draw is. None of us lives in a perfectly kept household (at least no one I know). One of my favorite magnets is the one that says “Dull women have immaculate houses”—and I’ve never been accused of being dull! When we see examples of extreme untidiness, larger than life (literally) piles of debris that confound even the professionals called in to help, it reaffirms what we knew all along: I’m not THAT bad.
Judging and comparing ourselves to others has become, with reality television, a national pastime. During “American Idol” auditions, we cringe at the poor unfortunates who think they’re on their way to stardom but who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. When they show up, buckets run the other way. “I’m not Idol material,” we think, “but at least I know it. And I sing a lot better than he/she does.”
We…yes, all of us…have dysfunctional families to some degree or another, but we “objectively” watch drama unfold with nannies and spouses and unfaithfulness and rebellious kids and we breathe a sigh a relief. Yes, we’ve got our share of drama on the home front, but at least it’s not like theirs.
The danger is obvious, in light of the quotes above. If we were perfect, we would be more tolerant of those who are not. If we followed Jesus as we should, we would take care of our own problems before “helping” others with theirs. Our focus should begin in our own hearts, with our own sins and failures. “Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone,” Jesus told the crowd who wanted to punish the woman caught in adultery (see John 8), an interesting and immediate way to thin out the would-be accusers. No one, in fact, threw a single pebble. Each person felt the conviction in his words; each thought of a secret sin he or she would not want publicly aired.
With reality television such as “Hoarders” we see people at their most vulnerable. Their “secret” sin is anything but, splashed across our widescreens in high definition. To reach that point, they must be desperate indeed. Not only do they realize they must get help, but they suffer our participation in the painful recovery process as they come to grips with why they feel it necessary to hang on to a gazillion rotting stuffed animals…or worse, rotting food with all the accompanying vermin associated. Professional counselors and organizers try…sometimes successfully, sometimes not…to bring lasting solutions.
Some believe that where John 8 mentions Jesus writing in the sand, he was writing the individual sins of the woman’s accusers for everyone to see. Today, the sins of the crowd become our “entertainment.”
Just keep that camera turned the other way, please.
Our taste for so-called “reality” appears to know no bounds. Why, exactly, are we entertained by “Hoarders”? Each program introduces viewers to individuals or families currently burying themselves in their own squalor. They may be facing eviction, divorce, losing children to Social Services, or other crises because of their accumulation of…stuff.
We came across “Hoarders” not too long ago and have watched it a few times since. The first time, though, it was immediately clear what the draw is. None of us lives in a perfectly kept household (at least no one I know). One of my favorite magnets is the one that says “Dull women have immaculate houses”—and I’ve never been accused of being dull! When we see examples of extreme untidiness, larger than life (literally) piles of debris that confound even the professionals called in to help, it reaffirms what we knew all along: I’m not THAT bad.
Judging and comparing ourselves to others has become, with reality television, a national pastime. During “American Idol” auditions, we cringe at the poor unfortunates who think they’re on their way to stardom but who couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. When they show up, buckets run the other way. “I’m not Idol material,” we think, “but at least I know it. And I sing a lot better than he/she does.”
We…yes, all of us…have dysfunctional families to some degree or another, but we “objectively” watch drama unfold with nannies and spouses and unfaithfulness and rebellious kids and we breathe a sigh a relief. Yes, we’ve got our share of drama on the home front, but at least it’s not like theirs.
The danger is obvious, in light of the quotes above. If we were perfect, we would be more tolerant of those who are not. If we followed Jesus as we should, we would take care of our own problems before “helping” others with theirs. Our focus should begin in our own hearts, with our own sins and failures. “Let him who is without sin, cast the first stone,” Jesus told the crowd who wanted to punish the woman caught in adultery (see John 8), an interesting and immediate way to thin out the would-be accusers. No one, in fact, threw a single pebble. Each person felt the conviction in his words; each thought of a secret sin he or she would not want publicly aired.
With reality television such as “Hoarders” we see people at their most vulnerable. Their “secret” sin is anything but, splashed across our widescreens in high definition. To reach that point, they must be desperate indeed. Not only do they realize they must get help, but they suffer our participation in the painful recovery process as they come to grips with why they feel it necessary to hang on to a gazillion rotting stuffed animals…or worse, rotting food with all the accompanying vermin associated. Professional counselors and organizers try…sometimes successfully, sometimes not…to bring lasting solutions.
Some believe that where John 8 mentions Jesus writing in the sand, he was writing the individual sins of the woman’s accusers for everyone to see. Today, the sins of the crowd become our “entertainment.”
Just keep that camera turned the other way, please.
Permission to reprint with acknowledgement of source.
Very well said Ellen. I'm guilty of comparing as well. It's unfortunate that many of us fail to see that as a sin at all. Thanks for posting!
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