Subconsciously contagious

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity then embrace.

This emotional poem written by Alexander Pope, one of the great poets of English literature of the 18th century, in my opinion is relevant and fitting to any period of human history, more so in our times then when it was composed. It can be applied to any aspect of human consciousness that can influence our mindset, our manner of reasoning. The aim of quoting this literary work is to demonstrate how most media, especially television, can easily influence vulnerable men and women and affect their character and actions.

There seems to be a competitive race of who is the most capable of producing the worst kind of sullen, dark and gloomy televised Maltese fiction dramas at prime time and not mainly by the three major television stations, on most days of the week. To make matter worst most are repeated at other times of the day. The implications that viewers, and it seems they are numerous, are confronted with, can, in my unauthorized opinion, be the cause of dissatisfaction, depression and confusion. How can one not be influenced when one is constantly being subjected to watching greed, intolerance, grief, cruelty, treachery, dishonesty and personal vanity? Is it not enough that these undesirables are becoming part and parcel of our daily living? Do we have to invent, create and encourage relentless situations that confuse and confound the viewers?

Humour and laughter, which are essential ingredients to uplift and ease the burden one encounters, do sometimes form part of programmes featured by the major television stations. It is commendable but these are overshadowed by the many transmissions of dull drama. Their main interest is to attract the most audience no matter the consequences. I am not suggesting that there should not be such episodes, but to stretch them into a never-ending story and in such quantity is close mindedness and harmful. What is the purpose of giving airtime to experts such as sociologists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals on how one can achieve a more peaceful and spiritual understanding, while at the same time one is bombarded subconsciously with negativism. Has the Broadcasting Authority watch dog lost its teeth on such matters or is it only functioning to see that no political party takes advantage of what the Italians call ‘il par condicio’? A case in point is the indifference the BA, and for that matter those organizations religious and not, which supposedly have at heart the building block of a sane society - the institution of marriage. It is disgusting and an abomination to watch, at prime time, the number one audience catcher on PBS ‘Xarabank’ featuring, in the most unabashed manner, an inflatable lifeless plastic figure of a full sized doll and glorifying sexual behaviour. This is debauchery of the highest order and is akin to, if not worse than, pornography.

This how some of our depraved and degenerate media look at the future. Live and let live, that is the motto today. The adage is to find your own system of values. This kind of godliness has ripped any semblance of moral fabric from our society. It is as if the ship has lost its rudder and is drifting into a vortex of morale decadence.

During my childhood and teen years, the only means of home entertainment was by a kind of cable transmission known in those days as Rediffusion, similar to radio but transmitted through a cable network. The only apparatus was a large loudspeaker encased in a wooden box. The contents of the programmes were varied and informative as today’s radio stations are and catered for all ages and tastes from dawn till late. A significant difference is that in those days there existed a jolly band of theatrical actors, men and women who were real comedians and gave their spare time to appeal to the emotions of happiness, laughter and cheerfulness of their listeners without having recourse to offensive language. One must bear in mind that this acting was all done in front of a microphone in a closed room. Francesco Simon Mercieca