I would someday write a sociological analysis of how people become Big Boss viewers. But for now, should I explain how the political system at play has brought us to this point? No, I don’t mean to start from Haryana’s CM’s grand felicitation of (now fugitive?) Elvish Yadav, but it too was, in fact, a symptom of the said system (read syshtum).
The political discourse has degraded to a level where traditional content creators – habitual of socio-political messaging through their content like cartoons, satires, etc. – have been pushed aside. The new emerging content creators – often apolitical until approached by a Minister for an interview podcast, are more concerned with discussing Yeti than a capitalist stealing everyone else’s share of wealth, ignoring bread and butter issues, supplying cringe videos non-stop, even crushing cars for guilty pleasure videos and whatnot – are the new icons.
There is little worry about the direction of political discourse except for certain information-oriented YouTube channels or content creators who break down complex issues for easier understanding. However, they are overshadowed by the growing number of influencers who are growing by creating new forms of content. These influencers legitimize the existing system as it is, and in turn, the system legitimizes their claim to the position of new change-makers. They clearly are not.
Big Boss is that kind of show which has its roots in traditional medium but is evidence of the degradation of the same.
It has, in fact, gained viewership with time. For a brain not concerned with any larger question of life, often in a stressed position but not thinking of ways to manage such stress or daydreaming of finding a shortcut to wealth, this show is the perfect go-to. It convinces them anyone can reach stardom; anyone can earn a title and become popular.
Its entertaining potential is based on scripted-unscripted, mostly meaningless human fights. Watching others fight is always the favourite sight for humans, isn’t it? This fight is watchable, even when political. So Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine, or closer home Manipur, all fights become watchable.
It is, in fact, now content for those having little interest in really knowing the impact or the context of these crises. This explains the quest of both degraded news media and the new age content creators to make more and more out of it. Viewership matters, not the scale of destruction caused.
An audience that laughed at stand-up comedians taking potshots at ruling party leaders has now transformed into remote remote-controlled audience. Its heart aches as per the seriousness of the content creator or media. Its rage is controlled. So, one celeb’s death is milked, and it becomes a national tragedy. Someone else’s doesn’t. An attack on soldiers is remembered every year, and the day is termed black. Some other times, officers are martyred, and media or new content creators choose to ignore the fact that the ruling party, on the very same day, celebrated its success in hoisting a global event.
This nexus has been too apparent between politics and media. But the new content creators are as much a part of it as the other two. And shows like bigboss bring them on board and do the job of keeping the public engaged, away from the real questions.
Featured image: @motaz_azaiza/Instagram/Representational image only.