Moral Dilemma raised by watching "24"

[LibInternationalist]

while I am strictly in favor of civil rights, and in fact hope to possibly make a career in international human rights, I find myself rooting for Jack Bauer even when he's torturing people -- is this wrong? Am I just blinded by the goodness of the show? Arggh

[Commendatori]

1. I'll bet Bush and Ashcroft love the show,

because it gets you and me thinking like that. Wonder how many of the show's writers are on the GOP payroll.

[cjbuchanan]

2. Um, 24 is fake

There is no Jack Bauer and he is not actually torturing those people. They are all acting. Just because it's on TV, doesn't make it true.

I'm sure this is coming across as me being an a-hole, sorry about that. Just trying to be funny.

[LibInternationalist]

3. I realize it's fake

but it's still psychologically disturbing that I could condone such behavior, even in fiction

On Edit: and just because it's fiction, doesn't mean that very similar things don't happen (torture-wise and deprival of rights, not widespread biological terrorism)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. That's what Tarantino movies are all about

He makes you realize you're cheering for the bad guy (mostly because everyone in his movies is bad).

[cjbuchanan]

6. But it's just acting

I know similar stuff happens in real life, but just because it makes for good TV, doesn't mean that you support it in real life.

I liked Cheers, but I don't think it's a good thing for people to spend all their free time in a bar.

[THUNDER HANDS]

5. i don't get the show

I tried watching it for the first time yesterday. I didn't see anything that great about it.

It's no Sopranos.
It's no Homicide: Life on the Street
It's no Oz

It's a low-grade, watered-down, network tv show.

Bleh.

[LibInternationalist]

9. this season is weaker than others

and it does help if you watch them from the beginning

and what's more, I don't have HBO, and Homicide isn't on anymore, dammit

[jtb33]

7. I've never seen the show...

Can you explain what you're referring to?

[LibInternationalist]

11. he's a federal counter-terrorist agent

and his job has him in "ticking bomb" situations where civil rights are violated all over the place to prevent terrorism

[screwfacecapone]

8. not really becuase

WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS POTENTIAL SPOILERS. DON'T READ IT IF YOU PLAN ON SEEING THE SHOWS ON DVD.



















He only does it when he has no other option. Besides, he knows his bounds. (i.e. he didn't really kill sayeed ali's kid, he feigned it. ANd with saunder's daughter, he only got rough with her at the beginning. Soon, he simply gained her assistance by playing taped and audio footage.) Last season, he, Tony, michelle, and president david palmer were pulling out all the stops in order to find the truth behind the audio recordings and prevent war. Ryan chapel, the vice president, his advisors, and pretty much everyone else in his cabinet were hell-bent on going to war.

[LibInternationalist]

10. you're right, and

if everyone with that amount of power could be relied upon to be as good as the Jack Bauer character, then I wouldn't have a problem (but they can't)

[SideshowScott]

12. I have more of dilemma that its on FOX

I do enjoy some 24..Although there may have been some shark jumpage this season..I just wish I could not watch FOX alltogether..But Sudays with King of the hill and Simpsons and 24 its very tough

[screwfacecapone]

13. it's hard

it's the only time a week when you have to watch fox. So for now I'll keep fantasizing about the day fox and it's news channel collapses under the weight of it's own bs and 24 is picked up by the WB or UPN.