Why TV Programme Big Brother Is A Danger To Us All


Big Brother gathers headlines and publicity through the ruthless manipulaton and exploitation of the participants. I'm not sure that all of them understand just how much they are being manipulated, or just how disastrous the long-term consequences might be to their personal and professional lives and to their relationships with friends and family.

But my main concerns about this programme are deeper than this.

I have three big concerns.

First, I believe the Big Brother format encourages and rewards deceit and disloyalty. Should television be doing this? Our society already rewards deceit and disloyalty quite enough.

Second, the Big Brother format makes us regard the use of television cameras as `normal'. Britain now has more closed circuit television cameras than any other country in the world. The cameras rarely (if ever) prevent crime. They rarely (if ever) result in arrests. But they reduce our privacy and our freedom.

Third, the Big Brother format encourages viewers to accept authority and to be obedient. Defiance is punished.

Whether it is their intention or not (and my personal suspicion is that many of those working on Big Brother simply aren't aware enough to see just how much long-term damage they are doing) the people working on this programme are helping to encourage people in Britain today to accept the fascist government we have.




Copyright Vernon Coleman 2004