There's always a danger in criticizing a do-gooder but this show always made me feel uncomfortable. My blue-eyed beauty enjoys this show but I could never sit through the whole thing. I came across this commentary that pretty much nails it for me:
The gist of my comments were that I consider EMHE a socially unethical show, despite the show’s desire to portray itself, and its cast-members, as altruistic super-heroes, building needy people homes out of the goodness of their hearts. Considering that the main product that television companies sell is an audience, rather than a television show, my criticism centrally rested upon my own assumption, a good assumption if I do say so myself, that families chosen to receive new homes are, at least in part ..., on how large an audience their story will attract for their advertisers. In this vein, I asked whether the ends justified the means, and as with all questions of this nature, I answered that it depends on which ends and which means. If the ends are that a needy family gets a new house, and the means are a television network provides them with one, then maybe I could answer in the affirmative. However, I don’t think it is so simple. I think that the ends can very well be that advertisers make a lot of money through the means of exploiting the plight of needy families.
Here's more.
Comments are open for discussion.
8 comments:
The lines between the show and the commercials are increasingly blurry. My wife and kids are also fans of this show. When I see the Sears name brand on the screen, what I see is just an hour long infomercial. I do join my family for the last 5-10 minutes of the program to see the joy in people’s faces when their lives have been blessed. For them, I’m glad the glare of TV lights and someone else’s willingness to foot the bill can make a permanent difference in their lives.
Bottom line: What may have been originally intended as a self-serving infomercial, “God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50: 20
I think the bigger problem I have is they usually build these extravagant, opulent homes for these people where 3 modest homes would go further in helping more families. America. Bigger is better?
Wow, you guys are really deep!
Roxanne! Welcome to the conversation. Don't let us fool you. Watching cartoons pass gas amuses us too. We can't be that deep.
ouch! Painful, but true, Ulyses. It seems like each episode attempts to go a little beyond the previous one in terms of extravagence. While I share Thomas Rolon's joy of seeing a family blessed after they have suffered from some tragedy, I have to wonder about the countless other families that are in need of homes as well. Are we really just tuning in for primetime 1 hour commercials? Is Sears providing appliances in Habitat for Humanity houses or only when the cameras are rolling?
Interesting, because this comment came up in class the other day when I was reading to the students about Oprah's school in Africa. It was a school that cost 40 million. One of the kids said, "why couldnt she take that money and make several schools with it?" And of course she could. I believe she has recieved criticism for this very thing. Now Oprah can do whatever she wants with her money of course. However, when people suffer because of lack of clean water how is it right for others to live in such opulence (great word) I struggle with this when I go get manicures...how much is too much??? It begs the question doesnt it??
It seems to me in the vast majority of situations on XM are win, win, win propositions. Family gets new house, ABC and advertisers win and my wife, daughter and I get to watch wholesome, compelling TV. If you don't like the show, I'll bet you a buck you're a Democrat.
Our great country was built on the foundation of letting the individual come up with ideas and profiting from them if they can. A by product of this is good ideas are pushed to the limit and great things are done. ie: airplanes, electricity, and automobiles. In each case people made money and America prospered. Making money is NOT a bad thing!
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