Tag: family

The effect

Kevin squinted. Darkness engulfed him, encroaching his personal space. Gulping whiffs of wintery air, he peered within. Breathless, he expected something to stir — or for any indication of life beyond the damp and desolate doorframe.

“Hello?” he called out to no response.

Feeling a prickle of cold sweat run down his spine, Kevin realised his blunder. His arm hairs stood up in the breeze and he thought he should’ve stayed on the warm couch, instead. He’d gotten too involved, and it scared him. If she knew, his sister would forever tease him for wetting his pants reading a thriller novel.

Discipline

Mason Martin went from room to room calling his mother. He checked her bedroom, the kitchen, and even his grandfather’s library of dusty volumes.

He couldn’t find his school tie, and now he couldn’t find the person who could find it for him. He’d be late again. “Mom?” He went to the garden annoyed and yelling.

In the distance, he recognised his mother and the school headmistress deep in discussion. He watched them walk towards the house, his mother looking impassive, and the headmistress triumphant.

Two days later, Mason left for boarding school. The garden amble was to discipline him.

All parties agreed

Having realised that the partnership no longer brought happiness to either, both parties had terminated their once-mutual agreement. All was said and done on paper already. They were aware of the consequences and the implications well before they had signed on. Neither was surprised.

The same couldn’t be said about Neha, however. She had no idea what she had gotten into. It wasn’t her choice from the start. No one had consulted her or informed her. Until one day, her mother announced at dinner, her separation from her husband of eight years. Their daughter, Neha, would remain with her mother.

A letter

Dear Sir,

I’m writing to express my disagreement with your idea of entertainment. I am, of course, referring to a number of programmes telecast in your channel.

First, let’s talk about the reality show you call, Real People, Real Lives. For one, I don’t think there’s anything real about paying celebrities to pretend to live together for a month, and appointing a mediator to solve petty disagreements between them. After all, these celebrities have no reason to live together—except perhaps for the money you pay them, and for the controversial paparazzi that ensues. If you and your children spend your evenings watching this show, I’m sorry, but you all need to get a life.

Second, I came across a programme that your channel’s hosts dub as Share your Feelings. Now, I may have to agree that sharing emotions and deep feelings may have a positive effect on the person doing the sharing. Having said that, however, I do not agree that sharing on national television, a story about how I let my boyfriend down by lying to him, is not a decent way of expressing my feelings. And I don’t think that you or your channel’s hosts should encourage such behaviour, and play irrelevant songs to trigger even more emotional callers. Callers might get some solace — sad though it is — but for a young family watching the show at home over dinner, it’s nothing more than a mindless way to spend the evening.

Now I understand that your choice of programmes doesn’t depend on what your audience wants to or needs to watch. Instead, it depends on what will get them excited to keep on watching. It doesn’t take a master’s degree in Psychology to decode your algorithm: You just give people sensational issues so that they get used to it and keep coming back for more. It’s not unlike training a dog by giving it chocolate treats that you know would only harm it. It’s simple logic, yet a powerful influence.

And that’s the reason I ask—implore(well… no)—you to reconsider your offering. Not only are your shows mind-numbing and disgust-inducing, but they are also a spark of painful-disagreement between husbands and wives all over the country. Well, yes, I haven’t spoken to my wife in a few days, and that’s perhaps why I decided to write to you in the first place, but nevertheless, it’s time for you and your channel’s administrators to call that long over-due meeting and reassess your goals for the new year.

With that I conclude this letter. And although I’m certain—beyond belief—that you would never acknowledge reading this letter, or even the existence of it, I would still like to tell you that your feature programme titled News Around the World in 60 Seconds is the best of all in your agenda.

I don’t look forward to hearing from you,

Not a fan,

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