The Cruelty Continuum

Cowboy, Drew and Jase

Cruelty is an interesting thing. Is it wrong, or is it just wrong when the person yielding it out is disliked. I am not sure why exactly, but this reason, journalists and the viewing public seem to have gotten on a tall self high horse about the cruelty going on in the Big Brother house. Could be on the heels of the Paula Deen drama, but I am not exactly sure why this year people seem to think the meanness is any worse than every other year.

Wil

I don’t personally rate cruelty on a scale; any and all cruelty is something I loath. Calling someone a nigger or a faggot is beyond vile. It usually speaks to deep seated bigotry within the person saying it, ignorance and self hate. Given Big Brother is a television show with 24 hour feeds, it also speaks to a level of stupidity.

Howie and James

I don’t condone or support the use of either of the words above. I also however, don’t distinguish them as any different as any of the other hundreds of words people use to hurt another human. Stupid, fat, loser, ugly, homely can be equally as harmful depending on the confidence level of those hearing them. I under stand ‘stupid’ may be seen as an individual insult, where as faggot defines a large group but does that really matter? Cruelty is all about the intention of the spreader. If their intent is to belittle, humiliate or hurt the receiver, does it really matter in what form it leaves their lips?

(l-r) Jeff, Jordan, Jess and Braden.

Big Brother is all about getting an advantage, many, in fact almost everyone, who has entered that house, has at one time or another attempted to get some sort of advantage by getting the better of another in the house. It is a game, and that is part of what we expect to happen. The house guests can get mean and the meaner they get, the more popular they often become.

David

One of the cruelest people to play the game was in my opinion Evil Dick Donato. He carefully chose, stalked, harassed, bullied and was relentless in his cruelty towards his victims. His victims by the way were always the wounded antelope, never someone strong, who would fight back, but a woman, alone and ostracised from the rest of those left in the house. It was truly disgusting to watch and more disgusting to see he was hailed as some sort of anti-hero. I had the live feeds during Evil Dick’s season, but the level of cruelty led me to never again subject myself to such garbage.

Jeremy

There are many people outraged at the actions of some of the current crop of hamsters, some of whom, have in the past, applauded equally disgusting behaviour in others. Are racist, homophobic comments crossing a line? Damn right they do, but faggot is not especially insulting to me because I am gay, it is insulting to me because of motive behind why it used. It is ridiculous to me the outrage and media attention the show is getting this year. Some people are glued to the live feeds to report the latest racial slur coming out of the models and other house guest mouths. If people are really so offended, the easiest answer is to turn off those life feeds and stop watching the show all together. But that wouldn’t be nearly as much fun now would it….