Susan Boyle and the X-factor
On Sunday night I re-tweeted a comment about the X-Factor. I am genuinely saddened that this comment has clearly caused hurt and offence. I posted it because I thought it spoke to the media circus that the X-Factor has become, and concerns about how many peoples’ vulnerabilities are put on show in the name of mass entertainment. It wasn’t a comment on any of the artists or their own personal health. To be honest, I was appalled when I re-read it and understood how and why it was taken as such.
As someone who has both professional, but more significantly personal, experience of mental health difficulties I am very aware of how sensitive an issue this is.
My original concern remains though. I think we need to really discuss how mass entertainment shows like X-Factor and Big Brother appeal to an element of ourselves which is inclined to scapegoat people, laugh at them, expose their vulnerabilities as a source of curiosity or entertainment.
It is increasingly clear that elements of the mass media work to exploit human vulnerability and difficulty in the interest of entertainment. Think back to Brittany Spears last year as another example. The whole ‘celebrity meltdown” thing as a source of public entertainment is getting increasingly obscene in my view.
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I am genuinely saddened
Try apologising. It might help appease those crazies who are are hyper sensitive /sarcasm
I am very aware of how sensitive an issue this is.
Clearly not if you endorse ableist language. Have a read of this – http://disabledfeminists.com/2009/11/20/a-brief-psa-on-language/
As to your larger point, were you watching X factor as a shocked impartial observer or for just the entertainment factor you condemn? I don’t watch it because it’s a shit programme not because I want to make some grand comment on the downfall of civilisation. The difference between X factor and Britney Spears is choice. People choose to go on X factor. Britney was stalked everytime she appeared outside her house. Add a media hungry entourage and voila, a public breakdown. Sexism played a huge role in that. The media let Owen Wilson have his breakdown in peace.
There is a very human factor in the laughing at others. It’s all explained in playground group dynamics. Laugh together we are part of the pack.
Mór I’m not clear whether you are serious or not when you say “it might help appease those crazies who are are hyper sensitive /sarcasm”.
Saying that I am saddened clearly means that I am sorry for the offence felt by/caused to some on foot of what I re-tweeted.
And I have not and do not endorse abelist language. As someone who has experienced mental heath difficulties myself I fully appreciate the stigma around the issue.
It was a point poorly made on my part and ill-considered.
Equally I was not laughing at Susan Boyle, Mariah Carey or Whitney Heuston. I can’t state that any more clearly than that.
I think the work I have done over many years in the area of mental health generally speaks to my dedication to this area.
I and many hundreds of thousands of others were watching X-Factor to see a signing contest. I have spoken to many people who watch the show but also feel uncomfortable with elements of the contest.
By the way I don’t agree re your point on choice. I don’t accept that people who go on X-Factor, or other shows promising a new life to people who maybe feel lost, fully appreciate what they may be letting themselves in for.
I entirely agree with your point on Brittany and the role sexism played in how her ‘breakdown’ was portrayed. Your point re Owen Wilson is very well made.
I beg to disagree Colm. An apology means saying sorry.
I am sorry for the offence felt by/caused to is a classic non apology which implies that the person being addressed is over sensitive. Our glorious leaders do likewise most every day. I don’t really care anymore anyway. You RTed a hurtful comment. You’re getting flack for it because of the Amnesty connection rather than just being dismissed as a troll.
/sarcasm means I was being sarcastic since I am one of the crazies and just for your information having mental health issues does not mean that you get an automatic pass on ableism. Society helps people internal this shit.
As for X factor and that ilk, people do choose to go on it. They have seen it on tv and they make a choice. You may not agree with that choice but as long as everyone is over 18 and understand to what they are consenting then it is a choice. I don’t think that X factor promises a new life to anyone. If that is what people believe, one must still respect that they chose it. TV did not chase after them
At one time X factor might have been a singing competition but most people tune in nowadays to watch the spats between Cowell and Walsh and to see Cowell’s put downs. The songs are almost incidental.
All the people named in your tweet are women. It’s the objectification and commodification of women that you are discussing rather than mental health, although they are intersecting oppressions
I don’t agree with you on many levels on this Mór. But then thats the way of the world isn’t it?
You are misrepresenting what I said in many ways by interpreting it through your own lens.
I did not say “I am sorry for the offence felt by/caused” as you stated.
I said that I am genuinely saddened that this comment has clearly caused hurt and offence. I am clear in what I mean by this, and it is an apology for the offence that some people may have felt. Given that my intention was not to cause offence or to make any kind of joke about anyones health I think that is entirely valid and appropriate.
Equally I don’t accept at all that you have the power to see inside my head and deduce that I was discussing or referring to the objectification and commodification of women as opposed to critiquing, albeit it in a very clumsy fashion, the circus show aspects of reality tv and shows like X-Factor as i clarified earlier. My intention wasn’t even to comment on mental health at all. You are simply wrong on that whether you chose to accept that or not.
As for your use of the word ‘crazies’, fair enough if you want to apply that word to yourself in some form. Thats a matter for you. Personally I wouldn’t apply it to myself or anyone else.
And there I will leave it.
Imagine if it was a retweet by a Bishop then O’Gorman wouldn’t be long getting on his high horse..
Amnesty – do what we say and not what we do.
Paidi,
You might note that you have posted this message on my blog? A little confused as to why you didn’t address your comment directly to me? Did you have a question or a particular comment that you wanted to raise at all?
I am amazed that you seem incapable of hearing and understanding what I said. I can’t really be any clearer, if you choose to believe that I am being either disingenuous or simply tellig lies there is little I can do about that.
I am interested though that you seem to find it so easy to spin this in your mind and compare what I said with the deliberate, proven and calculated cover up of child rape by Bishops. And that you fail to appreciate just how offensive that might be to a great many people in the context of recent days.
How ironic that you choose to disbelieve what I have said, condemning me for making an offensive statement which I never actually made whilst at the same time feeling entirely free to be as offensive as you have been. Hoe very preverse. And you accuse me of hypocrisy?
You might also note that Amnesty International Irelands Mental Campaign is a campaign designed in partnership with an Experts by Experience Group. That group, who all have direct expereince of the issues the campaign addresses, were the principle architects of the campaign. So when you suggest that the campaign is somehow compromised you in effect dismiss their work and the work of an entire team who are fighting tirelessy to improve the human rights situation of those expereincing mental health difficulties in Ireland.
You might well have known that had you taken the time to inform yourself rather than sieze upon my clumsy,and frankly stupiud, re-tweet to have a pop for whatever reason.
Though I suppose your linking it in someway to bishops does perhaps reveal your true agenda.
I have posted your message because I believe that an and every comment, provided it is srelevant signed and not defamatory should be posted here.
I have not posted another anonymous comment from someone with an email address purporting to come from the vatican and comparing me to bishops even more blatantly and whish was signed Bishop AN Other.