Recently a favorite television show of mine, 24, began airing its new season. Each season of the show takes place over a twenty-four hour period and each hour-long episode takes place in real time, hence the name 24. The basic plot is based around the main character Jack Bauer a CTU (counter terrorist unit) agent who is forced to go to great lengths to prevent bombs, viruses, assassination attempts, and usually save someone he cares about at the same time in one extremely stressful day.
This show has become extremely popular over the years (It is in its seventh season) for a number of reasons. For one as a viewer puts it “This is the most creative, intelligent, well-written, unpredictable, and suspenseful program that I have ever seen”. Which after watching the show I would have a difficult time disagreeing with. It ends every episode with unbearable cliffhangers, which force you to watch the next episode and is filled with plot twist after plot twist.
On a deeper level than just being entertaining, however, I believe that 24 appeals to the American viewer’s sense of national pride. In many Hollywood and the television and movie corporations have used horrific events of September 11th to their advantage in creating countless movies and shows that are based on the United States in some form or another overcoming various terrorist situations. At its roots 24 is yet another example of this type of propaganda to the American people that in many ways are even used to encourage and comfort them, as I have never seen a movie or show in which the United States fails to put the evil that is terrorism in its place. 24 was created in November of 2001, just two months after these terrible attacks, which is testimony to the truly amazing abilities of the television corporations to see an opportunity seize it.
This characteristic of the empire is not necessarily bad; I for one have enjoyed and endorsed most all of these Hollywood creations. We, as creatures of the empire, long for entertainment and the impressive abilities of our film industry simply supply us with what we crave. We must, however, if we are to break free from the empire and live for God's Kingdom we must be active in the empire and stand by making choices and doing things we would normally be unwilling to do. We must be aware of the the evil that surrounds us in our society and use our discernment to make decisions to support what glorifies God's Kingdom and not the empire.
24 is certainly an interesting program to examine; however, it seems like the show, in many ways, is simply an apologetic for the empire--especially in its treatment of torture. As Christians, we understand that each individual is an image bearer and that none are beyond redemption. Therefore, torture, or the condoning of torture, is simply not an option for those seeking the Kingdom of God. And, more pragmatically, torture simply does not work to gather good information.
ReplyDeleteThe story 24 is telling us, then, is one that is suggesting that we must harm others in order to maintain the safety of the American way of life--which seems decidedly imperial to me. Human Rights First has an interesting campaign going right now asking Fox to stop showing torture as effective on the show.