@Stiffybyng you're totally spot on there. We see polarisation every day in Main Stream Media. More so in the last 5 years or so with Brexit, Covid, and Politics in general. And I think you're right about this particular thread being more balanced than other corners of Social Media like Twitter which can be viscous and cut throat. It's the typical keyboard warrior mentality. The Black Lives Matters movement is a case in point. Racism is rife and we've seen it most recently at the football matches. People boo-ing players for Taking the knee. And even worse - sheer, unadulterated racism and abuse of Black players.
What I find quite thought provoking and more nuanced about threads like this (especially as it is a largely female dominated forum) is that people are starting to call out sexism and misogyny. Most of us here may have lived experiences of that. I said yesterday that pretty much no poster on these threads had a good word to say about Franky. I don't think it's because of how he has been portrayed. I think it's genuinely because we see how he is. Similarly, Bob... I think that a lot of us are sick of the men we have met in our lives (and women too) play the victim card. It sticks in the throat. Particularly when you know yourself you are a good person. It makes you question yourself. And hereby lies the now overused phrase of Gaslighting. My Mum used that phrase about my real father who was a very abusive alcoholic, but when sober could really charm people. Reality TV may have moved a million miles from being the 'social experiment' it was apparently supposed to be. But if nothing else, it helps us question our own judgement of people in real life. I for one, am grateful of that as I really need to feel I can help 9 yr old DD navigate these new waters. Because they are different to my times. Although sadly the misogyny and racism still seem to shout the loudest. We need to stand strong and call this kind of behaviour out. Not in the way of cancel culture, but by mature and thoughtful debate.
We live in interesting but quite dangerous times. It's always good to find others to talk it through with. All opinions are valid, and we are all just finding our way though an unprecedented era.
So it's a fine line between not being silenced and airing our views. Even though it's about a supposedly 'daft' TV show. I want to experience and participate in healthy debate, and hopefully contribute to a conversation that allows everyone to feel heard.
to all. We've all shared some quite personal stuff here.