An ill new trend has been exposed
YOU SHOULD REALLY SEE A DOCTOR RTÉ ONE, 8.30PM
AS WE all know by this stage, we live in an era where privacy is no longer guaranteed or, in some cases, even wanted.
A perfect example of the blurred boundaries between what is private and what is suitable for public sharing is RTÉ’s medical show You Should Really See A Doctor (RTÉ One tonight, 8.30pm), which stops off at the Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda, Co Louth, before decamping to Co Limerick for a classic car convention.
Along the way, we meet a man who takes painkillers to alleviate the burning sensation in his feet – which can never be a good sign.
But the question that’s never asked is a simple one – who on Earth goes to the Irish Maritime Festival and decides to squeeze a visit to the doctor into their plans?
Similarly, we all know people who like their classic cars, but I doubt any of us have ever met an enthusiast who was excited about a big event because not only would they get to see lots of lovely vintage motors, but they’d be able to get a doctor to have a look at that weird lump that’s been growing.
Is this a thing now? Have we become such a nation of multitaskers that people now feel they’re not being productive with their day if they don’t take two entirely separate activities and join them together?
As it happens, both presenters, Pixie McKenna and Phil Kieran, are perfectly affable hosts, and the show is certainly no worse than any of the other similar efforts in the UK.
But I must admit, I remain baffled by people who are sufficiently concerned about their ailments to see a doctor, but rather than going to their own GP, they visit a medic at a festival.
A cynic might even argue that the people just want to get their faces on the telly.
But that couldn’t be the case, could it?
The cancellation of Agenda with David McWilliams was a loss to Irish TV, but he’s back tomorrow night with another instalment of David McWilliams’s Ireland (TV3, tomorrow, 10pm).
In this episode, the archly provocative presenter poses a rather interesting question – Could School Be Making You Stupid?
It’s an interesting take on Irish schools and there’s no doubt that we have an education system that traditionally frowned upon independent thought, preferring to concentrate on learning by rote.
McWilliams has always enjoyed running after the sacred cows of Irish life with a big machete and one of the more fascinating angles for discussion is the danger of group think, particularly in relation to the banks.
There’s a strong line up of contributors as well, with Paddy Courtney and Fiona Looney giving their views.