Manual of ridiculous excuses to defend the indefensible
Since a scene from the movie went viral worldwide last week, The island of temptations With Montoya running desperately, multiple absurd arguments have appeared to justify this format.
"There is no intention other than entertainment." Entertainment is equated with the absence of ideology. A farce. When this excuse is used, it is usually to disguise infamous values. All entertainment has implicit values.
"I look at it so I don't have to think." The supposed lack of a message is a message in itself. It creates the self-serving lie that there is no need to reflect on entertainment.
"I look at it to laugh." Laughter and ridicule are sweeteners that normalize a sexist system of objectification, harmful stereotypes, toxic relationships and the tyranny of hegemonic body canons. On the other hand, the excuse forgets that the audience does not always develop a critical or distant gaze.
"We all have the right to frivolity." This trap serves to evade the social responsibility of the media, promote vulgarity and normalize media and symbolic violence.
"It has gone viral internationally." For commercial reasons. Linking ephemeral algorithms to the significance, quality or importance of the format is ridiculous.
"It is successful among people who are very well placed in the public eye." To argue that the programme is watched by elite footballers is a fallacy of authority, worthy of the low level of the programme.
"It gives people something to talk about the next day." This does not mean that conversation is necessary or culturally relevant. Rather, it encourages a type of discourse that reinforces superficiality and a lack of critical thinking.
"It's not sexist." Of course it is. Female bodies conform to the patterns established by the patriarchal male gaze, behavioural stereotypes correspond to outdated traditional roles, the contestants' phrases are irrefutably sexist and are pointed out as inducers of male misconduct.
"It's very well done." Trash TV (which is what it is) is not determined by technical or formal issues, but also by content. And for you to swallow crap, it has to be given to you very well packaged.
"It's all a lie." The fact that controversies are dramatized or induced does not exempt them from transmitting harmful values, because they appear to be real to an audience without a critical eye.
"Gives lessons on how to assert yourself." No. None. She justifies that love causes suffering, that jealousy is a symptom of true love. Sandra Barneda's cynicism saying that everything is for the best and promising therapeutic benefits for anxiety crises and toxic behaviors is to encourage humiliation and submission.
"We all feel identified with something." Lie.
"It is successful because it reproduces a model of society." Of course. The most execrable. And what it does The island of temptations is to perpetuate it.