Television series are rotting us

Mass media has directly targeted the rapidly developing society. For this reason, it is among the primary factors that deeply influence social change. When used for their intended purpose, mass media can ensure the transfer of culture from generation to generation. However, when used incorrectly, it can cause deterioration in the development of children and young people, and consequently in the structure of the family and society. (Yusuf Sinan ZAVALSIZ, Yüsra SOYDAŞ DAĞCI - The Effect of Television Series on Society)

Visual media today constitutes a consumer culture in its own right. The product marketed first and foremost by the numerous television channels that serve this consumer culture is television series. Television, and television series in particular, have become an entirely integral part of postmodern life. Ever since series began to take center stage in life, culture, customs, habits, values, lifestyles, and family structures have undergone change.

WHAT IS POSTMODERNISM?

Television, and television series in particular, have become an entirely integral part of postmodern life. In this context, I found it useful to touch upon postmodernism as a brief information note so that I might be more easily understood.

Postmodernism is used as a definition meaning the period after and beyond modernism. It is carried out as a rejection and critique of the fundamental concepts and perspectives belonging to modern thought and culture.

The prefix 'post' in postmodernism means 'after'. It signifies that which continues from modernism, originates from it, and involves its problematization and attempts to transcend it.

In this sense, notions such as humanism, freedom, liberation, universality, science, and reason, which have held general validity since the beginning of the modernization project and even the thought structure known as Western philosophy or Western thought, are also problematized.

Modernism is the name of the social project based on the principles of the Enlightenment. Enlightenment, on the other hand, is a system of thought that prioritizes knowledge over faith and science over theology. Modernism is based on Enlightenment thought. It believes in progress. It views reason and science as the tools of progress. The epistemological position that objective, universal, and sole knowledge can be acquired through reason and experience is a fixed point in all modernist doctrines. In this state, modernism is an epistemological and historical consciousness ground that serves as the basis for all kinds of doctrines.

The subjects, events, and characters in these series are rapidly corrupting Turkish society and the individual. Social values, filtered through the sieve of events and realities, are rapidly eroding.

In almost all of these series, there is a sense of distrust; no one trusts anyone. In fact, trusting is a disaster. There is no one left in society to trust anyway.

All the subjects in these series take place in wealthy mansions. They all seem to have come from the same pen and the same brain. The poor can at most be servants in these mansions. The women are very beautiful, and the men are very handsome. Whether a person is a good person or a bad person is not important; what is important is that they are handsome, beautiful, and rich.

Series also shape the society's understanding of consumption. The clothes worn by the actors, the jewelry they wear, their ways of having fun, their relationships with each other, and the rottenness within these relationships are poured into the consciousness of society—and especially into the consciousness of young people—just as they are.

Actors made famous by these series later promote, sell, and advertise the goods of capitalism. There is no consciousness of seeking one's rights; the value of the goods marketed by that actor cannot be questioned for a moment. You must buy it no matter what.

Being a laborer and making a living by one's labor is completely obstructed in these series, and the laborer is even belittled. Media organizations are already owned by the wealthy. Series and programs—a whole lot of rot—flow into our homes every day and pollute the consciousness of our youth. The media, our 'ink-stained' intellectuals who have dedicated themselves to the orders and service of their bosses, are propagating capitalism. Those who pose as glorious socialists have become the slaves of the media.

What will be the end of this trend? Turkey is being dragged toward disaster by television series and by the media. There is no one who takes ownership of the country in this regard. RTÜK does not look into these matters. It protects the political interests of the ruling power. For this reason, the duty of patriots is to become conscious about these series and to oppose the attitude of the media that is leading society to disaster.

All broadcasts in the media fall within the scope of consumer rights. By watching these series, we are making millions for television owners. We are buying the goods of capitalism. We pay money for television. We pay taxes on these matters. For this reason, consumer lawsuits can be filed against the media, especially against these series. If we stick to television screens like flies, there are many disasters awaiting us. We are living in a time where the people must truly save themselves. Politics is completely blind and deaf in these areas; it is even non-existent. They fear the media because the media will not put them on television to speak or promote them. Politics is not at the service of the people; let us establish this fact clearly. Let us take care of ourselves.