The Morning After: Losing My Religion

re: Gossip Girl last nite. Nate must be the stupid-est, most dumb dude around. I saw the poker setup coming from a freakin' mile away. Nice save by Chuck Bass, though - he just went up half a point in my book (but only half a point). Indecisive Dan needs to quit being a judgmental cranky-pants about everything. He's just jealous that his dad is hotter than him. . .

On the girl front, Blair's mom is the biggest grinch of them all. I finally felt really sorry for Blair this episode, and think that actress is doing a great job with that character. Serena is like sunshine, it is easy to see exactly why she unintentionally outshines Blair at every turn. I'm really liking this show, even though I'm not crazy about most of the characters. My husband REALLY hates it, though, so maybe its just a chick-thing.

Oh my god. I cringed at the preview for next week, with Blair purposefully getting Jenny in trouble for shoplifting. Jenny needs to develop an identity, she is such a weak character, and always makes really stupid decisions (even considering that she is a naive teenage girl).

I see your points James, but honestly I was a bit sickened by the producers here. I am in education, and almost watch the show as a "professional" and I felt like this was highly manipulative and unfair. I think stirring the pot with the fake journal enteries and making 8 year olds defend their values was upsetting to me.

Watching the Hindu kid almost had me in tears as his outsider status was highlighted. Considering it became a major issue this summer for a Hindu prayer to open a session of congress, I was highly disturbed by the "I dont want Hindus at my christian service" comments.

The most telling moment was when the one christian kid cried about how he couldnt believe and was moved how non-christians came to a prayer service and were "respectful". Sorta funny when it was the christian kids who were the most rude in dealing with others beliefs (shocker, I know...)

I am a sap, thses kids do move me and I felt every kid was unfairly manipulated in this episode. The false choice of spirtual books over mini-golf. I was screaming for the kids to pick putt putt, b/c it could serve as a space for them to have fun, learn about eachother and prove an entry into understanding eachother.

Sometimes I think these kids would be better off, NOT returning to the adult world. Adults suck!

@chris Larry - Geez, I must have stepped out of the room, because I didn't see the stuff you mentioned. I've racked my brain and don't remember leaving the room. But since James and you both discuss it, I have to go with your observations. I will say this though, the town council was tired of taking heat for their decisions and out the choice of the reward to a democratic vote. The majority of the kids chose the religious books. Nothing manipulative there unless you think they should of had a choice between putt putt and coloring books. Is you issue that they introduced religion into the equation? I don't see that as manipulative since they will be faced with it in real life. The show deals with how kids would build a society on a small scale and the various elements of real society need to be introduced as they go thru the decision process.

My 14.5 year old son is a straight A student and a few steps away from earning his Eagle Scout. He is begging me to let him apply for the next season of Kid Nation.

@Chris L: Likewise, I see your points. But getting the kids to engage problems (yes, in an artificial way, because it's an artificial setting), without adults guiding them to the "right" conclusions or the "civil" means of reaching them--that's kind of the premise of the show. If one is going to do that, why not get them to engage with something that matters? Particularly with what amounts to an extremely confident group of honor students. And I wouldn't assume that the (sometimes unintentional) arrogance of the majority kids was only apparent to us and not to the other kids. And really, it was impressive to see confident kids explaining their atheism on TV--in a country where an atheist probably still couldn't get elected president.

How many atheists are there in primetime TV, anyway? Grisssom is the first who comes to mind.

Keith,

Perhaps I am overreacting, you counter with some good points. Maybe nothing is off limits. Something about watching 8/10/11 year olds struggle with religon upset me.

Also I hate the "pioneer journal" trick anyway so that is part of it.

I believe Dr. Gregory House is an atheist.

I believe that Dr. Temperance Brennan, Bones, is an athiest, and so is Dr. Zach Addy (same show).

@Chris Larry,

I understand your concerns in today's world where religion is largely looked at as something odd and/or taboo by the media. I do remember having those "my religion is better than your religion" contests with my neighborhood buddies some 40 years ago when I was 8/10/11. Many, many people in America are part of some sort of faith tradition and it is a very normal part of their children's lives. The only thing that surprised me was that the show had the guts to actually introduce the religious books instead of something else. I thought it was interesting that the kids recognized a need to feed their spiritual side as well as their physical and mental side with food and recreation. For me, it just didn't seem like manipulation, but an acknowledgement by the producers that all elements of society need to be entered into the decision making process.

Keith puts it better than I do. The thing I liked was the contrast with so much civil society, the corporate world, etc., today, in which the default way to deal with difference is by ignoring or minimizing it. The scenario was *clearly* set up to create conflict, I will not argue that.

James & Keith,

Thanks for the discussion, you both made me rethink and reexamine my reaction. The bad taste is still in my mouth, and feel it was a string of poor choices by producers but you make a strong counter case while showing how it might have been positive for the kids.

However my reaction is still colored by how the minority religons are made to feel, and to see kids roleplay and react so spirtually territorial saddens me. I guess my reaction is more to the society that birthed them then the kids or the show.

Does anyone else find it fascinating the roleplay that goes on in the saloon? The "shots", the drinking when "sad", the connection between the drinking and "cutting loose" to me that is the most compelling observation I have taken away.

@ Chris L: "Drown my sorrows in root beer"! That's a good point. I suppose the saloon is also the closest thing to a social center / rec center, especially since the kids nixed putt-putt.

Speaking of which, that letter from the girlfriend. So sweet and sad, and then I paused the show to take a good look at the letter. She drew a bunny at the bottom! This show does such a good job of making me mist up and laugh at the same time. I'm as much of a sucker as anyone.

Dr Cox on Scrubs, and wasn't Maude an atheist, from back in the day? Also, I bet those two nerds on the Nerds-are-Funny sitcom are atheists as well.

I will say that the one issue I have with the show is the langauge the kids chose to use when talking to the camera. It sounds almost scripted or rehearsed. I've dealt with kids from t-ball age up thru high school thru sports and Boy Scouts and I just don't find kids talking the way they do. It is almost as if someone on the other side of the camera has asked leading questions and certain sentiments and wording is being parroted back. My wife disagrees, but she doesn't have near the experience I do working with kids. Is it just me?

@Keith: That's a near universal phenomenon, not only of reality TV, but even some more "legitimate" news programs. "So how did you feel when...?" "Would you say you felt like...?" "Can you repeat your answer, but incorporate the question into it?" etc.