Truth or Dare

There is a television program called "Moment of Truth" put out by the Fox Network. I don't know what twisted mind concocted this, but it seems like yet another opportunity to value money over relationships, decency, loyalty, and morality. And this from the network that touts "Family Values" and a markedly conservative agenda.
On this program, the television host asks one participant questions of increasing intensity which must be answered correctly in order to win money. A lie detector test is taken before the show so the veracity of the responses can be confirmed. People can make up to $500,000 for honestly answering difficult questions. The participant's significant others sit on the dais and the camera pans in on their horrified faces as they hear their beloved one admit horrible things.
"For $25,000, have you ever done anything with a coworker that you know would be upsetting to your husband?" The woman squirms in her seat and the husband stares at her with dread, one eyebrow raised. She looks down with a guilty grin playing at the corner of her mouth.
Of course, she did. She admits that she "made out" with a man at work. Her husband looks at her with veiled disgust. The crowd gasps aloud and begins applauding. Clapping for what? For the fact that a woman just admitted to the nation that her moral fiber is weak? No. Probably for the fact that getting money is more important than preserving the dignity of oneself and one's intimates. As the host declares into the camera, "More contestants are willing to say anything for $500,000!" He then appears to collect himself and move from being glib to pseudo-cautious: "We understand that at the end of the game, we get to go home, but you go back to your life with your family. Do you want to go on?"
The woman smiles broadly and after a long pause, says "Yes!"
The crowd roars. "For $100,000, have you ever regretted getting back together with your husband?" Her husband is aghast and the crowd again makes an excited collective "Whoa!" sound. The camera pans over the faces of her good friends who are sitting across from her, looking ill.
The woman takes a deep breath and quickly says, "Yes" in a way that tells the observers that she had to give the correct answer before she changed her mind.
Finally, the host asks her, "For $100,000, have you ever (his voice emphasizes the word) regretted that you were with your husband?"
Now the husband looks sick. He puts his head down and his hand over his face. She smiles guiltily and the audience starts to fidget. "I need your answer, please," the host prompts. Her mother and friends facial expressions are saying loudly, You're in trouble now!
She squeaks out, "No." She looks at her husband as if to reassure him, but her eyes have lost their sparkle. She has clearly lied. This is verified by the woman's voice on the overhead microphone: "And that answer is....false."
That means the woman has lost all of the money and is going home empty-handed. After doing an emotional striptease in front of the whole country, she is also going home with destroyed relationships.
What is wrong with us that we as a nation think this is acceptable behavior? Why would we want to showcase people who would betray themselves for money? For whom money is more important than their relationships? Do they not realize what they are teaching youngsters who are watching such programming about truthtelling and the value of people who are close to us? Is everyone willing to sell out themselves to the highest bidder?

Rosenblatt and Wright wrote a very interesting paper that introduces the topic of "Shadow Realities." These are things that a couple know are present in the relationship but that instinctively do not discuss because of the potential for the destruction of the relationship. Every one of us has some sort of shadow reality: the thing you don't like about your spouse, the concern you have about a sibling's perspective, the reactivity of a parent. Behavioral scientists note that it is not necessary for therapists to identify or to bring all of these shadow realities into the light. One does not manifest emotional intelligence or maturity by uttering everything as it is, without filtering. Letting it all hang out is bad for heart health, in addition. But this idea of Shadow Realities is precisely what the writers at Fox have exploited.

Will we ever have programming that realistically depicts healthy relationships and communication (beside Super Nanny)? Probably not. It seems that humanity is pushing the envelope in ever new ways. Will the image of God in mankind be completely diminished before His return?
God help us.