February 1, 2008 · Posted in: i Report Features
Game on — or off?
GAME shows have always been popular in the Philippines, and not only because Filipinos are fun-loving by nature. For decades now, millions of lives in this country have been marked by hardship, and game shows have frequently become among the people’s means of having brief escapes from everyday realities.
In recent years, however, observers have noted some significant changes in TV game shows: where before one had to display a modicum of skill, talent, or knowledge in order to keep playing and eventually win in a game, these days the primary (and sometimes only) requirement for joining is one’s desire for money — a lot of it, and fast.
As the second anniversary of the 4 February 2006 Ultra tragedy — where 71 people died and scores injured in a mad dash to be among the audience of “Wowowee,” a popular noontime quasi-game show — draws near, i Report offers a feature in its Mad Over Money series that provides a glimpse of shows where cash is king and contestants and viewers alike have become its faithful followers.
As a clinical psychologist observes in the piece, “Just the feeling that there is a pot, an option, gives something to people who have nothing. That’s actually a critique of our society, when you come to think of it.”
Read on at pcij.org.
3 Responses to Game on — or off?
A Yankee in Iloilo
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 am
Why pick on game shows? The real problem here is gambling and like all gambling, game shows exploit the poor and take advantage of people’s weaknesses, especially when it comes to probabilities.
In fact, of all the forms of gambling, game shows are probably the least destructive. The number of players are limited – though the number encouraged to think that success occurs quickly is large – and they are not asked to give up their own pesos. Of much greater concern is gambling sponsored and promoted by our various governments. How many different lotteries and lottery games do we have? All serving the needs of politicians to have more stuff to give away as part of “pro-poor” policies, which themselves feel like a noon-time show give-away, with politicians as the hosts and the money being our taxes.
Then there is the rampant gambling at funerals, fairs and fiestas. Gambling is everywhere and expanding.
And it is not uniquely Filipino. Nothing about giving away money is. Gambling has been a destructive force within societies, probably since societies have existed. Here it is just dressed up in some Filipino clothes, i.e. Wowowee, or they ripe off US and other shows, i.e. Whammy.
It is time for us (a) to move strongly against all forms of gambling — gambling should be banned — and (b) to refuse to participate personally in any gambling and to express our disappointment in those who do.
There is nothing Filipino about gambling. It is a universal human problem. Every society must move against this exploitive cancer.
Leo
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Yes, I agree with Yankee, kung susuriin pa natin ng mas malalim, ang unang layunin ng mga game shows na ito ay mas lamang ang commercial value, na kung saan, mas nai-po-promote nila ang mga produkto ng kanilang mga sponsors sa lahat ng level ng mga tao, mostly nga, ay yung mga walang sapat na pinagkakaitaan. Kaya kahit magmukhang payaso sila sa harap ng tao, hindi bale na, baka sakali, maiuwi niya yung isang milyon, wala siyang gasinong gastos, pamasahe at pagkain ang puhunan niya para makarating sa studio, at kung papalarin may pera siya, kung matalo man ay me pamasahe pa rin siya, kagaya sa gma7, hindi ka uuwi ng walang dala kahit konti. Ang tunay na dapat na masugpo ay yung huweteng, lotto, sweepstakes, na sa tingin natin ay mabuti pero higit na masama, sa mga nabanggit hindi ka makakasali sa draw kung hindi ka bibili ng tiket, pag nabili mo na ang tiket, wala ka ng kontrol dito, hihintayin mo na lang ang iyong suwerte na kalimitan ay kabiguan. Sa mga game of chance, indirect sugal pa rin ito, kaya nga bakasakali, pero mas gugustuhin ko pa ito kaysa huweteng, lotto at sweepstakes.
Anne
April 22nd, 2015 at 12:26 am
The problem here is that media is being dominated by the ruling class because not ‘all’ have the means to own a tv station. Sila tuloy ang nagdedecide kung ano ang ipapasikat or kung ano ang ipapalabas wherein part ang game shows. These game shows become an avenue for the masses to be brainwashed na dapat tangkilin nila ang mga ito sapagkat binibigyan sila ng hope na umasenso which is false consciousness. Hindi naman susugal ang tao kapag walang pagsusugalan. Tuloy hindi na nakikita yung iba pang means na umasenso or maging successful.