Friday, July 23, 2010

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast!

We are in a slightly strange situation here in Australia at the moment. We have a general election coming up in less than a month and the two main candidates are debating on tv on Sunday. They have been forced to re-schedule the debate to earlier in the evening though, due to Sunday night also being the last night of the competitive cooking show Masterchef. I have watched Masterchef a couple of times and it's ok but I am puzzled as to its immense success, as I have always been puzzled by shows that involve this incredible idea of competition - Big Brother, The Amazing Race, Survivor etc., etc. I have never understood such intense feelings of competition. I don't mean to make myself sound noble - in fact I suspect my lack of competitiveness has probably done me in a bit professionally. At school even, I didn't 'get' games and the overwhelming sentiment attached to winning - much to the fury of my fellow classmates. But why do we want to watch people battle it out to the last, backstab their opponents and weep with the effort and frustration of it all? With Masterchef it's even been noted that the winners each night are not necessarily the best cooks overall but the ones who managed to present adequately to the judges on that particular night. So what really is it proving?
And what will I be watching on Sunday night? Probably a bit of the debate and then I'll turn off the telly, dejected that both Dr Who and Little Dorrit have finished up...!

3 comments:

Diana Kennedy said...

I am really not into competivity, too. And, yes, this might be a disadvantage in professional life.
It is amazing that this kind of show even has an impact on a TV Electoral Debatte, wow!

T. said...

I don't like that kind of TV-shows, but in Germany as well people seem to looove that stuff.
I am also not into political debates, because they often turn out to be kindergarten. You could just watch Doctor Who *yay* thats what I would ;-)

Feronia said...

I ended up watching a bit of the debate afterall!