Watch what you watch

When it comes to identity formation, one must not underestimate the part television has to play. What with the advent of technology, TV sets have become increasingly accessible and the shows that are broadcast are readily digestible. As a result, it is now possible for the youth to internalise foreign values at an impressionable age, which in turn makes it possible for the phenomenon known as “Californication” to occur. Given that most shows require minimal effort to watch, few viewers, if any at all, critically reflect on the nature of the message that is being shared with them. Furthermore, to escape the monotony of day-to-day life, individuals seek out shows purely for shock value rather than doing so for a meaningful plot. While vicariously experiencing emotions does have its merits, it can also desensitise people. In the same vein, portrayal of war scenarios can influence the perception of the viewers.

Just because a character is likeable does not mean that he or she is a saint. Be that as it may, owing to being able to relate to characters, it becomes harder to criticise them and treat their tragic flaws with the scrutiny which we reserve for less enigmatic personalities

If multifaceted personalities are portrayed as two dimensional, it can sway the audience to simplify the thought process of characters as well as to undermine the torrent of feelings being experienced by real soldiers and civilians on the battlefront which would be detrimental to society as it could not possibly benefit from this change in mindset. By the same token, if the war is shown to be glorious then the youth will be misguided and see multi-lateral confrontation with rose tinted glasses. There is a plethora of World War II movies, each with its own narrative and tone. The sheer variety of content gives viewers the chance to be exposed to a number of perspectives, all of which are added to their repertoire of influences that can then be drawn upon in conversation, be it of a casual or an erudite nature. On the other hand, it is not only the youth that is susceptible; in fact, adults too have been trapped by the sphere of influence that these TV shows have. To exemplify this point, one must only take note of the tragic “pakhi dress” incident in which a woman took her own life because her family could not procure a dress for her that looked similar to the apparel of a Hindi serial protagonist. Much in the same way, senior citizens, including octogenarians, are likely to internalise foreign values. For instance, in the portrayal of Kolkata’s households in certain Hindi serials, it is shown that the bride has to be subject to a host of difficulties and overcome the trials and tribulations set up by her in-laws. Unfortunately, the archetypal viewer may not be informed that these serials do not reflect the quintessential household, but rather just one of many aspects of life in Kolkata. This phenomenon is not exclusive to the Indian sub-culture but even extends to other sub-cultures including the American one, with shows like Suits which glamourise the life of a lawyer and choose narrative over facts. The viewers are more likely to tilt towards morally supporting the protagonists who throughout the course of the series commit morally objectionable acts bordering on felony. Just because a character is likeable does not mean that he or she is a saint. Be that as it may, owing to being able to relate to characters, it becomes harder to criticise them and treat their tragic flaws with the scrutiny which we reserve for less enigmatic personalities. As these shows are available en masse, it is not always possible for parents to monitor their children and stop them from being convinced that their existing lifestyle is mediocre compared to what they see on television. However, that is not to say that children should be shielded from anything that does not conform to worldview as that would only serve to limit their viewpoints. Further so, because until a certain age is reached, the youth are ill-equipped to filter everything they encounter to get to the heart of the matter as with experience comes the ability to filter content and the intuition of when to and when not to suspend disbelief. It is fairly certain that many people believed at first that wrestling was genuine, and it was not until they grew older and in turn more sceptical that it became crystal clear that it was not the case. The Doraemon Hindi dub proved to be controversial because some kids who tuned in regularly learned to speak Hindi words before they could utter a fully formed sentence in Bangla. Keeping all of this in mind, one can only hope that viewers will be more alert to what ideas they allow to shape their views and influence their actions. As life is much less forgiving than fiction, it would be best to be more careful about what we watch.