Comments on: Channeling the Siren Song of “Adventure” http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/ How the National Geographic Society could create a new blueprint for journalism Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Therese http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-853 Therese Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:10:11 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-853 I agree—I don't want to see the National Geographic Society romanticizing this; unfortunately, these kinds of shows sell. If people didn't watch them, NG and other channels wouldn't make them. I agree—I don’t want to see the National Geographic Society romanticizing this; unfortunately, these kinds of shows sell. If people didn’t watch them, NG and other channels wouldn’t make them.

]]> By: Therese http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-2092 Therese Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:10:00 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-2092 I agree—I don't want to see the National Geographic Society romanticizing this; unfortunately, these kinds of shows sell. If people didn't watch them, NG and other channels wouldn't make them. I agree—I don’t want to see the National Geographic Society romanticizing this; unfortunately, these kinds of shows sell. If people didn’t watch them, NG and other channels wouldn’t make them.

]]> By: Alan Mairson http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-841 Alan Mairson Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:23:39 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-841 Therese - Thanks for your comment, and I think we're in agreement: Discovery and NG shouldn't host shows like this. And Richard Code probably should have known better. Question is: Who is responsible for romanticizing this dance with death in the great outdoors? As I said above, I don't want my Society to subsidize such craziness. There are all sorts of people who risk their lives for good reasons. Firemen, for instance. They're worth honoring. But <em>Survivorman</em>? Therese – Thanks for your comment, and I think we’re in agreement: Discovery and NG shouldn’t host shows like this. And Richard Code probably should have known better. Question is: Who is responsible for romanticizing this dance with death in the great outdoors? As I said above, I don’t want my Society to subsidize such craziness. There are all sorts of people who risk their lives for good reasons. Firemen, for instance. They’re worth honoring. But Survivorman?

]]> By: Alan Mairson http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-2091 Alan Mairson Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:23:00 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-2091 Therese - Thanks for your comment, and I think we're in agreement: Discovery and NG shouldn't host shows like this. And Richard Code probably should have known better. Question is: Who is responsible for romanticizing this dance with death in the great outdoors? As I said above, I don't want my Society to subsidize such craziness. There are all sorts of people who risk their lives for good reasons. Firemen, for instance. They're worth honoring. But <em>Survivorman</em>? Therese – Thanks for your comment, and I think we’re in agreement: Discovery and NG shouldn’t host shows like this. And Richard Code probably should have known better. Question is: Who is responsible for romanticizing this dance with death in the great outdoors? As I said above, I don’t want my Society to subsidize such craziness. There are all sorts of people who risk their lives for good reasons. Firemen, for instance. They’re worth honoring. But Survivorman?

]]> By: Therese http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-835 Therese Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:17:17 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-835 Re: Channeling the Siren Song of “Adventure” Although I find "reality" shows like this distasteful, wildly misleading, and dumbing down to the lowest common denominator (shame on Discovery and NG for hosting shows like this), reality shows should not be blamed for deaths of (adults who watch them. From the article I read, this guy Richard Code was 41 years old, and although "It remains unclear if Code has ever received formal wilderness training but relatives say much of his knowledge came from watching Survivorman," he should have known better. Re: Channeling the Siren Song of “Adventure”

Although I find “reality” shows like this distasteful, wildly misleading, and dumbing down to the lowest common denominator (shame on Discovery and NG for hosting shows like this), reality shows should not be blamed for deaths of (adults who watch them. From the article I read, this guy Richard Code was 41 years old, and although “It remains unclear if Code has ever received formal wilderness training but relatives say much of his knowledge came from watching Survivorman,” he should have known better.

]]> By: Therese http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-2090 Therese Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:17:00 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-2090 Re: Channeling the Siren Song of “Adventure” Although I find "reality" shows like this distasteful, wildly misleading, and dumbing down to the lowest common denominator (shame on Discovery and NG for hosting shows like this), reality shows should not be blamed for deaths of (adults who watch them. From the article I read, this guy Richard Code was 41 years old, and although "It remains unclear if Code has ever received formal wilderness training but relatives say much of his knowledge came from watching Survivorman," he should have known better. Re: Channeling the Siren Song of “Adventure”

Although I find “reality” shows like this distasteful, wildly misleading, and dumbing down to the lowest common denominator (shame on Discovery and NG for hosting shows like this), reality shows should not be blamed for deaths of (adults who watch them. From the article I read, this guy Richard Code was 41 years old, and although “It remains unclear if Code has ever received formal wilderness training but relatives say much of his knowledge came from watching Survivorman,” he should have known better.

]]> By: Alan Mairson http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-816 Alan Mairson Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:46:47 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-816 If you drive 160mph on I-81, and crash — and then tell the EMTs that your lifelong idol is Jeff Gordon, then yes, there's a link. Is NASCAR <em>responsible</em> for your idiotic behavior? Only if NASCAR suggests that the rules of Daytona also apply to the interstate. Re: snowboarding — yes, it's risky. But it's not deadly. No one has to die to give the sport its frisson. As for NASCAR, I'm not so sure. The disturbing part of shows like <em>Alone in the Wild</em> is that it romanticizes an "adventure" where the game is: Can You Cheat Death? I don't think that's a game, and it's certainly not one that I want my Society to glorify or underwrite. Now, if Ed Wardle put his life on the line to bring home some venison bologna for his family, well... that's a whole different story. :-) If you drive 160mph on I-81, and crash — and then tell the EMTs that your lifelong idol is Jeff Gordon, then yes, there’s a link. Is NASCAR responsible for your idiotic behavior? Only if NASCAR suggests that the rules of Daytona also apply to the interstate.

Re: snowboarding — yes, it’s risky. But it’s not deadly. No one has to die to give the sport its frisson. As for NASCAR, I’m not so sure.

The disturbing part of shows like Alone in the Wild is that it romanticizes an “adventure” where the game is: Can You Cheat Death? I don’t think that’s a game, and it’s certainly not one that I want my Society to glorify or underwrite.

Now, if Ed Wardle put his life on the line to bring home some venison bologna for his family, well… that’s a whole different story. :-)

]]> By: Alan Mairson http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-2089 Alan Mairson Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:46:00 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-2089 If you drive 160mph on I-81, and crash — and then tell the EMTs that your lifelong idol is Jeff Gordon, then yes, there's a link. Is NASCAR <em>responsible</em> for your idiotic behavior? Only if NASCAR suggests that the rules of Daytona also apply to the interstate. Re: snowboarding — yes, it's risky. But it's not deadly. No one has to die to give the sport its frisson. As for NASCAR, I'm not so sure. The disturbing part of shows like <em>Alone in the Wild</em> is that it romanticizes an "adventure" where the game is: Can You Cheat Death? I don't think that's a game, and it's certainly not one that I want my Society to glorify or underwrite. Now, if Ed Wardle put his life on the line to bring home some venison bologna for his family, well... that's a whole different story. :-) If you drive 160mph on I-81, and crash — and then tell the EMTs that your lifelong idol is Jeff Gordon, then yes, there’s a link. Is NASCAR responsible for your idiotic behavior? Only if NASCAR suggests that the rules of Daytona also apply to the interstate.

Re: snowboarding — yes, it’s risky. But it’s not deadly. No one has to die to give the sport its frisson. As for NASCAR, I’m not so sure.

The disturbing part of shows like Alone in the Wild is that it romanticizes an “adventure” where the game is: Can You Cheat Death? I don’t think that’s a game, and it’s certainly not one that I want my Society to glorify or underwrite.

Now, if Ed Wardle put his life on the line to bring home some venison bologna for his family, well… that’s a whole different story. :-)

]]> By: Roger Baumgarten http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-815 Roger Baumgarten Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:22:05 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-815 Hard to say. Any number of shows depict what would be considered risky behavior by "laymen"--Olympic snowboarding; NASCAR; curling. OK...maybe not curling. But is NASCAR (and their auto-manufacturer sponsors) responsible for fatal crashes on the Interstate? Hard to say. Any number of shows depict what would be considered risky behavior by “laymen”–Olympic snowboarding; NASCAR; curling. OK…maybe not curling. But is NASCAR (and their auto-manufacturer sponsors) responsible for fatal crashes on the Interstate?

]]> By: Roger Baumgarten http://societymatters.org/2010/03/04/channeling-the-siren-song-of-adventure/comment-page-1/#comment-2088 Roger Baumgarten Fri, 05 Mar 2010 02:22:00 +0000 http://societymatters.org/?p=3787#comment-2088 Hard to say. Any number of shows depict what would be considered risky behavior by "laymen"--Olympic snowboarding; NASCAR; curling. OK...maybe not curling. But is NASCAR (and their auto-manufacturer sponsors) responsible for fatal crashes on the Interstate? Hard to say. Any number of shows depict what would be considered risky behavior by “laymen”–Olympic snowboarding; NASCAR; curling. OK…maybe not curling. But is NASCAR (and their auto-manufacturer sponsors) responsible for fatal crashes on the Interstate?

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