Soap Operas and their Effect on Us

A week ago some disturbing news on a national newspaper caught my eye. It was an article about a man killed by his cousin over some disagreement on a television program. The news reported that these two cousins and the wife of one of them were watching the soap Rosalinda. At a certain point, one of the cousins got hold of the remote control and started changing the channels. A quarrel between the two men ensued. They started hitting each other until one of them pulled out a knife and stabbed the other one dead. A very sad story indeed!

A similar incident happened a few years back during the height of the Marimar fame. Someone also died in a squabble regarding the television program. One would think that many of these viewers would learn a lesson from this experience. But it seems that lessons are not learned and apparently many viewers are too emotionally involved with their favorite television programs to even care.

So many analyses and commentaries have been written and discussed on why these soap operas click. I think it has something to do with our simple faith as a people. We believe in miracles. We go for rags to riches stories. We have a soft spot for the underdog. That’s why, we lap up soap operas like Esperanza, Rosalinda and others like them while movies like Bukas na lang kita Mamahalin, Tunay na Mahal, etc. become box office hits. It has been mentioned many times that these programs are a reflection of our life. They touch the psyche of the ordinary Filipino. Don’t get me wrong, by the way. I have nothing against these soap operas or movies that entertain or kick the boredom out of one’s life. But as consumers of these television programs I guess we need to learn to become critical on what we are viewing and what they are telling us. It has always amazed me how certain people could sacrifice other important schedule or the presence of family or community members to give time to their favorite program or a soap opera like Rosalinda. I have heard so many funny anecdotes from friends, sisters from the community and from priests regarding this. It is really amusing to think about it, but it also leads one to reflect what kind of viewers media is molding us to be. If media can dictate on us to change our schedule or give up some important activity to give priority to a program, then we are allowing media to take control of our life. James McDonnell who wrote an article entitled Christian Discernment in a Mass Mediated Culture opined that “we are creatures of habit and our uses of the media are mostly habitual, unreflecting and routine”. In his article, McDonnell mentioned that critical awareness is necessary for us to develop if we want to escape the media massage. The media “massage” he referred to is the unreflective and undiscriminating use of media that is already a sign of addiction.

Unreflective use of media can be addictive, and here I am talking out of experience. I also loved to watch soap operas on television. As a matter of fact, I got hook on it years back. It can also happen that our addiction to media can appear in the guise of entertainment or education. It is very easy to find excuses if we want to. Hence the importance of critical awareness. But it should be a critical awareness we are willing to put into action otherwise as James McDonnell said, it remains “no more than a commentary on our dependence.”

I would like to end this article with this short quote from James McDonnell that is worth pondering about. “Our habitual media uses are part of the whole fabric of our lives and a true critical awareness will not affect our media use alone (Italics mine). Choosing not to turn on the radio and television unless we have decided to do so for a specific purpose will leave us with time to spend in other ways. We will have other choices to make. Turning away from the media towards our friends or family may strengthen the bonds of love but may also confront us with conflicts previously unexpressed. Broadening our reading habits may enrich our understanding, but by the same token, may disturb and question our deepest values.”