Are TV shows becoming too politically correct? (expect SPOILERS)

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Paul1977

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#280200 2-Dec-2020 11:16

As per the thread title. It seems like more and more TV shows are becoming too PC and preachy, generally to their detriment.

Maybe it's my white heterosexual cisgender privilege speaking, but so often I watch things and it just seems like characters and plots are very unsubtly being inserted for the sole purpose of inclusivity and political correctness. I'm for shows making political statements etc, but not when they're so obvious that it prevents my short "escape from reality".

For a long time it was probably too far the other way, but I feel like now there's been an over correction.

What are others peoples thoughts?

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#2614639 2-Dec-2020 11:31

Completely agree. Representation != over-representation.

Geektastic

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#2614671 2-Dec-2020 12:22

“Becoming”?!

1101

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#2614675 2-Dec-2020 12:36

You are watching the wrong shows

Plenty of not so PC friendly shows out there .
Start with southpark . its not just a cartoon, its often clever political satire taken to the extreme .

rugrat

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#2614676 2-Dec-2020 12:38

Same with movies. Wonder if James Bond is the next one to be destroyed.

Once they go over the top, I stop watching.

Dingbatt

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#2614678 2-Dec-2020 12:38

You are not eligible for awards unless you meet the quota. Awards mean publicity and recognition so more revenue. They can’t afford to not be on the bandwagon. If they don’t, the SJW dog whistles start and they get “cancelled”. If they fully embrace it then people just quietly stop watching. Kind of trapped either way.

There are numerous examples in media and sport of the “Get woke, go broke”.

To the OP, your need to apologetically ‘categorise’ yourself speaks volumes as to how far this has gone.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

jonathan18

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#2614685 2-Dec-2020 12:43

It would be interesting to see the breakdown of those who support your thesis; I’m willing to get a high proportion will indeed be pale, male and stale! I’m certainly pale and male, and well on the way to being stale, but personally I welcome the change.

Given how many centuries we’ve lived through of PMSs being the dominant grouping in society it’s no wonder there’s pushback from some of these who feel they’re increasingly no longer the centre of the universe or the stick against which everything else gets measured.

Perhaps ask someone from a typically sidelined section of society what they think about seeing people like them on the television, and not just as the butt of a joke but in a positive or ‘normal’ way, and what that means for sense of worth etc.

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Paul1977

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#2614702 2-Dec-2020 12:57

jonathan18:

It would be interesting to see the breakdown of those who support your thesis; I’m willing to get a high proportion will indeed be pale, male and stale! I’m certainly pale and male, and well on the way to being stale, but personally I welcome the change.

Given how many centuries we’ve lived through of PMSs being the dominant grouping in society it’s no wonder there’s pushback from some of these who feel they’re increasingly no longer the centre of the universe or the stick against which everything else gets measured.

Perhaps ask someone from a typically sidelined section of society what they think about seeing people like them on the television, and not just as the butt of a joke but in a positive or ‘normal’ way, and what that means for sense of worth etc.

No doubt, and I think that's a good thing. But, as I said in the initial post, I feel like it's swung too far in the other direction.

Fred99

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#2614709 2-Dec-2020 13:03

I guess it depends what you watch and how you interpret things.

If you care enough to run some kind of a mental tally on whether TV shows are depicting an over-representation of people not conforming to whatever it is you identify yourself as being, and think that matters / is actually an issue worth debating, I think you need to get a life. Throwing rocks at your TV set could be a good start. Then get out and meet people - you may be surprised if you get out of your "normal" social/work groups, that people are much more diverse than you imagine.

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#2614710 2-Dec-2020 13:03

Paul1977:

I watch things and it just seems like characters and plots are very unsubtly being inserted for the sole purpose of inclusivity and political correctness. I'm for shows making political statements etc, but not when they're so obvious that it prevents my short "escape from reality".

Do you have specific examples?

I would say that as a white, CIS male (me too...) that we take our representation in every form of media and entertainment so much for granted that it maybe does seem "jarring" when shows try to be more inclusive.

The very fact people find it forced or "unnatural" is probably the best argument for continuing to do it until such time as it becomes "normal" and completely unworthy of comment.

Perhaps it also says something about the quality of the media in question and the writers/creators/directors skills in weaving a a good narrative?

Fred99

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#2614720 2-Dec-2020 13:07

Paul1977:

No doubt, and I think that's a good thing. But, as I said in the initial post, I feel like it's swung too far in the other direction.

I don't like that expression. It's so often used to criticise policies and actions that are intended to end abuse of human rights and freedom from discrimination.

richms

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#2614723 2-Dec-2020 13:10

The only one I can think of ruined by that recently is doctor who, but I dont really watch too much TV anyway because its all padded out BS and takes time away from gaming.

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Paul1977

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#2614729 2-Dec-2020 13:14

Fred99:

I guess it depends what you watch and how you interpret things.

If you care enough to run some kind of a mental tally on whether TV shows are depicting an over-representation of people not conforming to whatever it is you identify yourself as being, and think that matters / is actually an issue worth debating, I think you need to get a life. Throwing rocks at your TV set could be a good start. Then get out and meet people - you may be surprised if you get out of your "normal" social/work groups, that people are much more diverse than you imagine.

If you think the portrayal in some of these shows is representative of real life then I'd wager you're in the minority.

And immediately jumping to telling me I need to get a life for stating my perception says a lot more about you than it does me. It's a shame that these discussions can't be had without people chiming in to insult someone who has a different opinion to them.

Paul1977

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#2614733 2-Dec-2020 13:18

Fred99:

Paul1977:

No doubt, and I think that's a good thing. But, as I said in the initial post, I feel like it's swung too far in the other direction.

I don't like that expression. It's so often used to criticise policies and actions that are intended to end abuse of human rights and freedom from discrimination.

I hope you're not implying anything about me by saying that?

Paul1977

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#2614749 2-Dec-2020 13:30

Item:

The very fact people find it forced or "unnatural" is probably the best argument for continuing to do it until such time as it becomes "normal" and completely unworthy of comment.

That's a fair point, and probably has a lot of truth to it.

Perhaps it also says something about the quality of the media in question and the writers/creators/directors skills in weaving a a good narrative?

I still personally think it has more to do with that. To me it can sometimes seem like they have a mandate they have to meet, and so they are forced to fit it in even if it doesn't really work for the story.

ShinyChrome

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#2614753 2-Dec-2020 13:36

I think there is a key difference between lazy writing and accurate representation. Some characters are just poorly written to the point that their race, gender, or sexual orientation becomes their identity.

I think it's great that now, as mentioned above a member of the "male, pale, and stale" clan, now more people can potentially enjoy the sort of cultural norms and characters in popular culture that resonate with them that I took for granted growing up. On a personal note, I'm excited that my daughter will grow up in a world with more normalized strong female characters or heroes that she can aspire to; and that her self-image is not defined in relation to the men in her life, but having the choice to define herself on her own terms.

To be honest, I'd actually be more interested to hear from people that were previously marginalized about how they feel about representation; do these characters actually resound with them, or are they still just mostly lazy card-board cut-outs of tired clichés and stereotypes?

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