Westpoint asks "24" to tone down the torture

[The Count]

Anti-terror agent Jack Bauer routinely beats vital clues out of suspects in TV thriller 24. But West Point military academy has asked 24's makers to tone down the torture, worried that cadets might identify too strongly with his anti-terror tactics.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6510593.stm

[AndyTiedye]

1. Most Likely the Pro-Torture Propaganda on 24 Was Done On Karl's Orders

[bryant69]

2. Any evidence of that? That would be a bombshell if true

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[loyalsister]

16. I would expect he would hate that show

That VP (Powers Booth, I think) is over the top evil and carries a strong resemblance of what I would imagine a young Cheney to look like.

[MountainLaurel]

3. What, they catch the cadets using it as a snuff film?

Spanking the monkey as those dirty Ay-rabs get what's coming to them?

[Rosemary2205]

4. WHO THE HELL IS WATCHING THAT SHIT?

Seriously, there must be some sick ass people in the US for that show to have any measurable ratings. Even the 10 second ads for the show are so offensive to me I have to either cover my eyes or quick change channel to avoid it, and I'm not exactly a delicate little flower.

Sick.

[The Count]

5. According to the ratings, about 14 million people (less when heroes is on)

It's one of Faux's most profitable shows.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

6. I watch it.

I must be sick. :eyes:

[Chovexani]

7. Me too.

I guess I'm also just a stupid Kiefer fangirl.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

8. Freeper!

:rofl:

[Chovexani]

19. I'm busted!

I hope I don't have to turn in my tinfoil hat. :scared:

[Rosemary2205]

9. Graphic torture as "entertainment" is sick.

But then there is a lot of sick ass shit in our culture, not just on TV. It's still a free country. People are free to produce movies, or TV or videos or games that contain graphic slow mo scenes of people being blown to bits, or tortured or raped or whatever if they want. People are free to produce music encouraging others to maim, kill or harm others just for kicks. Sick ass people are free to partake of it and call it entertaining.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

10. Have you even seen the show?

It's not all torture, for one thing, not to mention that the Jack Bauer character often feels remorseful about what he does.

And there's a thing called context. The torture is done in the context of the show, which is about catching terrorists, just like violence on The Sopranos is done in the context of a Mafia family's actions.

By comparison, many of these "Saw"-type horror movies are popular nowadays and feature violence not grounded in any form of rationality or justification.

[Rosemary2205]

11. Context doesn't change it for me.

I see no context where ENJOYING the idea or visual of someone being harmed isn't sick.

Allow me tangent, I eat meat. I grew up VERY poor on a "dirt" farm and have certainly participated in turning a live creature into dinner. Someone in my family tried to rape me when I was 12 and I poked his eye completely out with my thumb to get away. I am not averse to violence when needed to survival (though I wish we lived in that utopia where it would not be necessary) -- I just think the whole CONTEXT of entertainment violence is sick and unnecessary in a world with more violence than we really need already.


I do understand that 14 million people sit there and get entertained by a show containing graphic scenes of torture and probably very few of them consider themselves to be desensitized.

[Bronyraurus]

15. Hah.

"I see no context where ENJOYING the idea or visual of someone being harmed isn't sick."

I guess you're not a dude.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

18. The torture is not the enjoyable part.

The fast pace, twists and suspense are the enjoyable parts.

The torture is simply a small aspect essential to the story and its construction.

[Ilsa]

21. Starbucks Anarchist speaks for me on this one. I watch the show and

am amazed at how often the show portrays the futility of torture. Also, for example, in season 4, they have a defense contractor that has gone renegade, helping the terrorists get more fire-power of one kind or another, and then trying to cover it up by using EMP to destroy electronics. They also have their own well-trained mercenaries that have no problem with killing federal agents.

This season has a war mongering vice president who is trying to disobey the president so he can launch a nuclear war without good cause.

There's some juicy storylines on this show. Very little time is spent on the subject of tryig to get terrorists to talk.

[Bronyraurus]

14. It's a great show

It's exciting, the acting is good, and the plot is break-neck if not always believable.

[KG]

12. ok, the pres., congress, AG, and supreme ct, and us army all basically approve of torture

but the cadets might get the wrong idea from a TV show? what planet are these people on?

[Rex]

13. But TV has no control over the unwashed masses!!

So is Westpoint worried their best and brightest professors will lose out to the 'idiot box'? Wow, had no idea we were training professionals to be so gullible and weak-willed. Surely not.

Hey 'teachers' at Westpoint, do your fucking jobs and you won't have to worry about the dam 24 show! IT'S A FREAKEN SHOW, DUMBASSES. Maybe a few months in basic training has eroded their ability to make decisions? Has it come to that?

I never bought into the bullshit part of basic training, I hope we aren't just spiting out 'yes' officers - oh wait.

NM.

[ComerPerro]

17. but what the hell would West Point know, right?

[Chovexani]

20. Joel Robinson said it best

"Just repeat to yourself, 'it's just a show. I should really just relax.'"