You know you’re a couch potato when you watch reality on TV.
Reality shows, that is.
This season I’ve been watching "Survivor: Palau," "The Amazing Race 7," and "The Apprentice [3]." I tend to be an on- and off-viewer of these shows, and usually hop on the bandwagon after the first season — and the initial fad — has passed by. I didn’t start watching "Survivor" or "The Apprentice" until Season 2. I only started regularly watching "The Amazing Race" this season, and that was because of the entrance of "Survivor"-sweethearts Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano into the Race.
One of the interesting aspects of the reality shows is the moral issues that arise during the course of the season. For example, if you watched "The Amazing Race" this week, you may have noticed that when one of the leading teams flipped its jeep, another leading team stopped but others (notably Rob ‘n Ambuh) sped on. Later, Rob and Amber were especially held up for scorn by the team that stopped (Lynn and Alex) because R & A leapfrogged into second while Lynn and Alex ended up in fourth.
So, were Lynn and Alex right? Was it a moral obligation to stop?
If practical assistance could be given such as medical care or the sacraments, sure. Human life is much more important than any game — or the possibility of a million dollars. Of course, if you can call for help, you should; and if you have actually witnessed the accident occur, you should report that to the authorities. But if all one could do would be to murmur sympathetically and gawk at the accident, there is no obligation to stop, anymore than there would be if you saw the same accident by the side of the road on your way to work. Indeed, when you would be a hindrance by staying, moving along — and thus keeping the accident site clear of spectators (as distinguished from witnesses) — would be the right thing to do.
I had the same thought. At the end the ‘fellas’ were tauting how they had stopped to ‘help’, and ridiculing R&A for not doing so. Exactly how did the boys help? They stood there and watched from what I could gather. Yeah, right, great help!
Ok, I’ll admit that for the first time ever, my husband and I started watching the Apprentice and American Idol this season. I know, I know, but it’s really the only guilty pleasure we have these days. And it’s fun to point out all the immoralness (is that a word?) of it all! Actually, I am rooting for an Oklahoman on American idol who is a country singer and will probably remain a Christian if she ever makes it big. And it was really funny during tryouts–all the really bad singers–c’mon you have to admit it–it was a hoot!
I think the least R & A could have done would be to stop and ask if there was anything they could do. They weren’t in a high traffic area so doing that would be the least thing I would think.