The power of the imagination

An integral part of The F Word so far is Gordon Ramsay raising some livestock of his own--he will use the meat in the last episode of the show. This is to educate both himself and us; he wants viewers to see, if not appreciate, where the food on their table comes from, and to understand that meat does not come into existence as is.

It is also his way to advocate a more humane, careful way of raising animals for meat.

In the first 2 seasons of The F Word, Chef Ramsay was trying to teach his children to think of the animals as future meals, so that they do not treat them as friends or pets and thus develop an emotional attachment to the animals. But we see that Chef Ramsay himself had difficulties cultivating the necessary detachment to let his animals go to slaughter.

What impact have Disney cartoons had on children growing up in America and elsewhere? Has it created the sort of emotional state of mind necessary for the radical advocacy of animal rights? It is natural to have some sort of sympathy and animals and attachment, but to let this sympathy go unchecked by reason is another case of a morality that is nothing more than sentimentalism. (It is not much different from those who advocate "equal rights" for same-sex couples, because [erotic] love is the most important thing in the universe, and no one should be prevented from acting out upon it and finding fulfillment in it. Rather, it should be celebrated in all its forms.)

Is there any doubt that impressionable are teenagers shaped by what they see on TV? Not just by its depictions of [causal and not-so-casual] sex and relationships, but by the way the well-off live? Will they come to acquire heightened expectations, especially if they are not learning how to budget? Does the consumerism they see on TV lead to such effects as a lowered savings rate among the youth? Granted, children who have been indulged by their parents or are merely following their parents in the acquisition of material things as being the most important part of life probably do not need television shows to reinforce the pursuit of these perceived goods as the ideal. But what about parents who are not well-off? How can they encourage thrift and simplicity if their children are watching these shows, with young attractive people seeming to enjoying themselves? Sure, the characters on these shows have their share of drama and relationship problems, but aren't these eventually worked out, because the producers cater to the audience's desire for a happy ending? Who wants to suffer the wrath of the audience? They may not want to watch your next project, if you let them down. (Maybe Dawson's Creek isn't an exception, as Joey and Dawson do not end up together, but she isn't alone at the end, since she chooses Pacey.) Finding a soulmate turns into another expectation, or worse, an entitlement--I deserve someone who will treat me well.

What a vision of life and love. And yet it can be so persuasive to those who are dominated by their emotions and are just starting to learn how to guide them with reason. (If only they could make it to that stage.)

One argument against traditional sexual morality and Christianity is that if God wanted us to have sex only to procreate, why would He make us mature sexually so early, before we are ready to raise children? Of course the objection is a bit self-serving--why can't you wait? Why have you given up on self-control? But a response might be that as the power to reproduce is tied to the senses and sense appetites, it is fitting that part of the overall maturation process is for us to learn how to cope with our sexual appetite and learn how to be virtuous, i.e. chaste. How can we love others, like our wives, virtuously and well, if we disregard the importance of chastity as a virtue? We are given the opportunity to become holy -- to say that God owes us 'psychological integration' is to demand that He do away with the consequences of original sin, without requiring conversion and the reception of grace. Perfection on our terms, not on His, and a manifestation of disordered self-love.

Hence, I would reaffirm the Ignatian point that the power of the imagination itself needs to be controlled, and we need to be careful of what we willingly see and hear; otherwise the imagination can lead one's desires astray. How would St. Ignatius respond to our television and movie habits? What would he teach us?

In the meantime, another girl power show hits cable TV. How many does that make, in addition to The Closer and a bunch of midseason replacements (like Angie Harmon's Women's Murder Club) on network TV that weren't renewed? Post-feminists may realize that women cannot "have it all," but the mass media has a way to catch up. But then again, the MM was always a good tool for spreading ideology, and I don't think the Enemy will give such an effective tool up so easily.