Over Thanksgiving Break, I was watching television and I saw a commercial for a new television series called What Would You Do? Now I just came across a short article about the show. The purpose of the show is to see how the average American responds to others in a crisis or need. In one episode, a father and son are at a restaurant and the son tells his father that he is gay. The father responds terribly and tell his son he can't be gay, because being gay is wrong. These two men are actors and the point is to see how others in the restaurant respond to this situation. The article describes the audiences response:
"Patrons are noticeably uncomfortable — two so much so that they get up and leave the restaurant. But will any of them actually step up to the plate and confront the father?"
I am not really comfortable with this scenario. If there was girl about to get kidnapped, then I would expect others to jump in and help her. But this is a private conversation between a father and a son. And although it is wrong of the father to not accept his son's sexuality, I do not necessarily think it is the duty of those around them to step in and correct him. The show is implying (I think) that the others in the restaurant should intervene and support the son. However, its not anyone else business and the most that others can hope for is that the son and father work it out. I think a better solution to destroying homophobic attitudes is education, not intervening in a conversation between a father and son at a restaurant.
Thats just my thoughts though, what do you think?
http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/12/02/What_Would_You_Do_Features_Gay_Son,_Antigay_Parent/
i AGREE WITH YOU THAT i THINK THIS IS A BIZARRE EXPERIMENT. Ooops, sorry for the all caps.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I find it peculiar that the social expectation would be that if you overhear a disturbing private conversation, the idea is that somehow one should intervene. Down this road leads all sorts of interventions we may not want.