Gaining Inspiration from the Hunger Games

It’s hard not to notice the new cult movie – The Hunger Games. Like it or not, it’s here! Reading the initial reviews, this movie will inevitably work its way onto our  “must see” lists – not because of great artistic merit (not having seen it makes that hard to judge) but because it threatens to become a cult movie with sufficient following to create social impact.

Already the reviews are raising some questions that we need to assess. The movie seems to have an underlying agenda of producing commentary on social trends we are gradually accepting as normal and so it promises to offer a perspective to help us see trends in our lives, making us think seriously about the direction we are headed.

The Hunger Games (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With its presentation of the ultimate reality show and the realization that the entertainment  trail has led to humans destroying humans we are immediately faced with a significant question:

Is it inevitable that reality TV must drift into increasing violence and sensationalism to retain viewer ratings? Is it human nature to be drawn to watch and to demand more graphic detail with each season, becoming desensitized, learning to laugh at what is inept, corrupt or immoral? Are we headed back to a new version of gladiators fighting to the death while the packed arena watches?

Just thinking about a few reality shows we have been exposed to, here’s a few ideas that come to mind. Do we gradually become desensitized to human suffering and the harsh realities of life by watching such shows – not to mention the increasingly graphic news shows?

For example:

Does Cheaters make infidelity more acceptable and normal?

Does the Bachelor  promote promiscuity and reckless dating behavior not to mention a totally distorted view of relationships and the nature of marriage?

Does the Apprentice promote unbridled greed and the manipulation of other people for our own ends?

Does Dancing with the Stars promote risqué behavior as the norm for unmarried couples?

Jersey Girls – hard to say what that promotes unless it’s low IQ’s and lives of boredom.

Survivor – deceit and distrust, the promotion of two-faced  scheming for personal gain at the expense of all others (“Friend” or foe)

At some level, our choice of viewing material (we make the choice via ratings) has an effect on us. Of course the ratings are affected by our choice of viewing options selected  from a pretty pathetic list of shows.  The trail seems to develop from producers looking to cut costs and increase ratings as a means to selling advertising profitably. They made the unfortunate discover that reality shows slashed acting payrolls and then realized that the more extreme the “reality” the better the shows did in the ratings race. From thereon its automatic, the shows are guaranteed to become less and less realistic and more and more sensational and graphic as time passes.

What is a Christian response to this trend?

1. Go with the flow, watch and enjoy it for what it is.  This is the easiest option but it presents our faith as indiscernibly different from others who do not have faith as a guiding force in their lives. There’s nothing to alert people to the fact that faith makes any difference at all to how we live.
2. Protest everything and be vocal in lamenting the moral decline of our nation. This is the next easiest option (although it is hardest on friends and family) and it makes us incredibly negative in our outlook. This approach drives others away from faith and makes us into social pariahs.
3. Take steps to guard ourselves against the gradual moral erosion, be selective in what we watch and how much of it we watch. Pick our battles to start intelligent discussions (the ones where we are not pushing agendas or reacting to perceived threats) with those around us. We don’t have to win any discussion, nor do we need to put anyone down, we simply explore the trends and the alternatives. In the process we promote moral awareness and can introduce the concept that we become a product of what fills our minds.

“Finally folks, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable –

whatever is excellent and praiseworthy – think about it.

Whatever you have learned or received from me,  – the things you’ve seen in me –

put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4.

(There’s a good reason we are told to fill our minds with  stuff like this)

Inevitably we will need to become familiar with the content of the Hunger Games and will be forced to watch it in order to have relevant comments to make. It doesn’t sound like a bad movie and may prove to be a great conversation starter. It doesn’t have to be an accurate prophecy of our future to inspire us to reflect on the sort of society we are creating. For those who live in this world but are not of it, this movie may present a useful opportunity to demonstrate and explain the beauty of a world-view based on divine revelation (in contrast to one based on the corruption of human nature.)

Guess we’re off to the movies!

StopPress:  Check out our new Movie Review page on Simon Review.com – for a full review on Hunger Games

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