Television is far from my favourite pastime. I love the sounds of silence and nature, so even having a television on for background noise, is an acquired taste that I personally have never acquired.
That being said, I do have a couple of comedies and one reality show “My 60O Pound Life” that I do try to catch every week.
The thing with “My 60O Pound Life” is that it is more about the real people that it highlights, and less about over the top drama of most reality Shows, or most television shows for that matter. It is about people.
This week, following “My 600 Pound Life”, I stuck around and watched a couple of other TLC shows – “Botched Bariatrics” and “Super Face Surgeries”.
All three shows were comparable in that the people were real and their health issues were heart wrenching and life threatening. The medical personnel were amazing and the patients were strong, determined, and willing to do whatever was necessary to make their lives better and to become better and healthier for the sake of their families and loved ones. By the time I was into the third show, I was an emotional wreck.
These stories and the people who shared them were undeniably moving, but sadly that was not what destroyed me. On these shows, and on virtually EVERY episode of such shows, the one challenge that these amazing survivors have in common is the fear of going out in public to endure the stares, cruel remarks, and general ignorance of others. Physical deformities caused by their life threatening conditions make them a target for bullying and harassment.
Unfortunately, this is not just a made for television phenomenon. Bullying, verbal, psychological, and physical abuse is commonplace in what we refer to as our ‘civilized society’. Why?
There have always been bullies and cruelty. But now it seems to be more prevalent than ever before. Now we have constant garbage beamed and streamed to us via television and social media about how one has the right to say or do whatever they want, whenever they want, about or to whoever they want. People buy into it because “It is their right”.
But between the garbage, there are also constructive messages of love and kindness, respect and consideration for others.
How can people read or hear one message without seeing or hearing the other? And having read or heard both, how does anyone deliberately choose to believe that their right to be an asshat overrides the right of anyone else to simply exist and live their own life?
I don’t get it, but I am way past accepting it. This is me speaking up and out.
Take care and have a good day! 🌞💞
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 