The Hunger Games

The first of the Hunger Games Trilogy came out a few nights ago.  I really liked the books and the movie was good too.   But I just have to say the whole concept is disturbing.  Humans hunting humans while the world watches...

I think that what disturbs me the most is that our society isn't that far off from actually doing something like this.

Television is full of reality TV shows.  Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Housewives from everywhere, and Jersey Shore to name a few. Do we not have enough creative energy left to actually write something fresh?  Instead, we follow people around watching them make fools of themselves, or voting each other off, or having an emotional moment.

My wife and I have been watching The Biggest Loser to inspire ourselves to become healthy. At the same time, the parallels to shows that vote people off and the Hunger Games do not allude me.

It starts out with a group of chosen ones... a select few from across the country.  They participate in a training program to ready themselves for the show down. Then the Nation watches as contestants battle each other.  Show producers will add challenges and temptations to enhance the drama. In the end, only one person survives.

Am I talking about Hunger Games or Survivor or American Idol?

What is it that draws us to these types of entertainment? Romans would watch their own version of the Hunger Games with the Gladiators.  But we are not that sadistic... are we? 

We laugh ours heads off at shows like Wipeout. Advertisers spend millions during the Superbowl as we watch men battle it out on a field with a pigskin.  We just finished watching the world compete during the Olympics.

I am not saying that any of this bad or good.  I am simply noticing that we are a nation of spectators watching other people living their lives on a global scale.  And I notice just how closely we actually resemble the futuristic nation in the Hunger Games.  I am convinced we really aren't that far removed.

People struggle with all kinds of problems - financial problems, health problems, relationship problems, emotional problems, addiction problems.... But the world as a whole doesn't really pay much attention.  The people in the Capital of Panem live their lives of luxury and superficiality choosing not to recognize or see the struggles of each of the various districts.  Attempts to raise awareness and fight for freedoms are shot down and punished with deeper levels of bureaucracy.

Perhaps that is why so many people have been drawn to the books and the movies... they see a little bit of us in it.  It makes me reflect on whether I am being a spectator or a participant in my own novel. It makes me want to try harder to make a difference in the world.

Just a thought, but now I have to go... Pysch is on.