Big Brother

[messy]

First of all this is not a BB hate thread all though it does deserve one.

OK BB is back on again in the UK and even thought viewing figures have dropped it doesn't look like it'll disappear any time soon so I think I've come up with an idea to make it less useless. We use the participants and use them as subjects in psychological experiments (or any other kind of science if it's ethical) the reasons for this are as followed

1.The show lasts a bloody long time so towards the end due to the isolation from the world they will have had little or no current media influences so more topical studies can be done with less influence from the news.

2.Studies can be disguised as "tasks" for food etc. so less demand characteristics.

3.The level of obedience form "housemates" is incredible high anything that starts with the words "This is big brother.." (practically "would you kindly")well be obey. They are more likely to obey then from a researcher. At the very least it could be a good setting to re-do Milgram's obedience studyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment and see if it's culturally relevant

4.In (what seems) to be an attempt to breed conflict they bring together people from every possible walk of life so they'll be less ethnocentric bias (all Participants from the same country or culture)

5.Finally the Diary room is an area of the house where "housemates" ***** and moan about other members (without them knowing) and they are much more honest in here. This should remove some of the bias generated in studies which rely on subjective evidence since the diary room is associated with honesty.

I wasn't sure if this was the right place to post this but I'd like to hear what you think and any criticism and who knows there may be a channel four executive on the escapist

EDIT; I missed out a vital point, BB could be used to bring science to the masses (well certain parts of the masses) that they wouldn't have excess to.

 

[Mockingjay]

Actually they say that this is the last Big Brother (either this or the next, I'm not sure and I'm not sure if that applies to the celebrity verion) I think it's because of the controversy it causes E.G Jade Goody V Shilpa Shetty, rigged voting etc. That and no one's really interested really more. It was a social experiment, now it's just a house with semi-weird people arguing.

 

[w-Jinksy]

i thought at first it was a televised expirement on peoples social skills niw its just boring crud and absolutely makes my skin crawl as all the people in there are so detestable most being utterly stupid, the show now is really about public ridicule.

 

[SotheVolke]

PROBLEM UNO:
EVERYONE IN BIG BROTHER IS NUTS
You can't get a fair generalised result from a group of complete freaks shoved into a house for the reason that they are, complete freaks.
PROBLEM DEUX:
Lets face it...noone really likes big brother, we watch it to laugh at people suffering, if we watch it at all.

Actually...It's basically animal cruelty, they are not quite humans and we make them suffer for no reason...Im surprised PETA haven't complained yet.

Now...I wait for flaming.

 

[messy]

PROBLEM DEUX:
EVERYONE IN BIG BROTHER IS NUTS
You can't get a fair generalised result from a group of complete freaks shoved into a house for the reason that they are, complete freaks.
PROBLEM DEUX:
Lets face it...noone really likes big brother, we watch it to laugh at people suffering, if we watch it at all.

Actually...It's basically animal cruelty, they are not quite humans and we make them suffer for no reason...Im surprised PETA haven't complained yet.

Now...I wait for flaming.

The first problem about generalisability is going to be a problem with any study involving humans because we vary a fair bit.

And a lot of people still do watch big brother, and could a chance to get some science to people who may not get a chance to experience it. And it's not technically cruelty because they have to give consent I think

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Actually they say that this is the last Big Brother (either this or the next, I'm not sure and I'm not sure if that applies to the celebrity verion) I think it's because of the controversy it causes E.G Jade Goody V Shilpa Shetty, rigged voting etc. That and no one's really interested really more. It was a social experiment, now it's just a house with semi-weird people arguing.

It wasn't even a good social experiment, as they knew what was going on. If they signed up for a scientific experiment without them being told it'd be on television that would be real reality television. Now it's people acting out for the cameras.

 

[AmrasCalmacil]

Can't we just put a Jason Vorhees style killer in the House?

 

[SotheVolke]

I like the idea, if they had no idea they were being studied, but it is true, they do not act themselves, if they did not know they were on camera they would put on no front to win prize money and false fame. Men try to impress ladies...ladies try to impress men for votes. That's really all Big Brother has become.

 

[The Infamous Scamola]

Still going strong here! Woot woot.

 

[messy]

Can't we just put a Jason Vorhees style killer in the House?

We could always just claim there was one and see how people respond in a crisis, this may have some ethical implications though. And I'm sure at least one viewer would stop laughing long enough to write a complain to channel four

 

[Gitsnik]

3.The level of obedience form "housemates" is incredible high anything that starts with the words "This is big brother.." (practically "would you kindly")well be obey. They are more likely to obey then from a researcher. At the very least it could be a good setting to re-do Milgram's obedience studyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment and see if it's culturally relevant

This level of obedience was epicly displayed in that Milgram experiment, and I think it is the greatest example of sheeple that we can possibly have. If I remember my thesis correctly, according to sources such as "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" something like 90% of the SS, and 98% of the general german populous felt that Adolf would have led them into the next century, and that killing the Jews was a good idea - every single one of them exhibiting the signs of being "sheeple". Go figure.

Children play the game of "Simon Says" so that one can lead and many can follow - classic "sheeple" style.

I think this aspect of the study is unnecessary, we see enough of it already (albeit it's always a pleasure to torture people, so if they need someone to head up the department of ignoring-the-geneva-convention, they can call me up and transport me over).

On the topic of conflict generation, I've always felt it is more of a cover-our-asses-regarding-political-correctness than it was anything else, but that's just me.

The rest of your points I either don't have an argument about or can't think of anything to comment on.

 

[messy]

3.The level of obedience form "housemates" is incredible high anything that starts with the words "This is big brother.." (practically "would you kindly")well be obey. They are more likely to obey then from a researcher. At the very least it could be a good setting to re-do Milgram's obedience studyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment and see if it's culturally relevant

This level of obedience was epicly displayed in that Milgram experiment, and I think it is the greatest example of sheeple that we can possibly have. If I remember my thesis correctly, according to sources such as "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" something like 90% of the SS, and 98% of the general german populous felt that Adolf would have led them into the next century, and that killing the Jews was a good idea - every single one of them exhibiting the signs of being "sheeple". Go figure.

Children play the game of "Simon Says" so that one can lead and many can follow - classic "sheeple" style.

I think this aspect of the study is unnecessary, we see enough of it already (albeit it's always a pleasure to torture people, so if they need someone to head up the department of ignoring-the-geneva-convention, they can call me up and transport me over).

On the topic of conflict generation, I've always felt it is more of a cover-our-asses-regarding-political-correctness than it was anything else, but that's just me.

The rest of your points I either don't have an argument about or can't think of anything to comment on.

I don't expect anything new to come from a renewal of Milgram's study but there are an entire generation of people who don't have access to this type of information either through being disadvantage, lazy or ignorant. I just think TV could be used to educate, if only slightly and a since BB and similar shows are the cause of this instant celebrity culture they have a some responsibility to fix the problems they've caused

 

[Eskay]

I don't expect anything new to come from a renewal of Milgram's study but there are an entire generation of people who don't have access to this type of information either through being disadvantage, lazy or ignorant. I just think TV could be used to educate, if only slightly and a since BB and similar shows are the cause of this instant celebrity culture they have a some responsibility to fix the problems they've caused

Yes, but the experiment needs to be updated to encompass modern society. Instead of having them push the button we should hook them up to the mains supply. Then any viewer could shock a housemate by "pressing the red button".

The series might not last long, but damn it would be popular/

 

[messy]

I don't expect anything new to come from a renewal of Milgram's study but there are an entire generation of people who don't have access to this type of information either through being disadvantage, lazy or ignorant. I just think TV could be used to educate, if only slightly and a since BB and similar shows are the cause of this instant celebrity culture they have a some responsibility to fix the problems they've caused

Yes, but the experiment needs to be updated to encompass modern society. Instead of having them push the button we should hook them up to the mains supply. Then any viewer could shock a housemate by "pressing the red button".

The series might not last long, but damn it would be popular/

Well Darren Brown repeated Milgram's study about three years ago and similar results were generated, however I do like the idea about having an interactive element with viewers at home because the best way to learn is to be active (in my experience). May not have electric shocks wired up to the red button though (Sky would probably start selling more remotes if nothing else)

 

[Eskay]

Well Darren Brown repeated Milgram's study about three years ago and similar results were generated, however I do like the idea about having an interactive element with viewers at home because the best way to learn is to be active (in my experience). May not have electric shocks wired up to the red button though (Sky would probably start selling more remotes if nothing else)

You're making a fatal mistake here in confusing the issues of experimental process and rigour to the fact that I want to electrocute those ingrates! They've helped perpetuate this show by being on it, and must be punished accordingly.

 

[Abedeus]

PROBLEM UNO:
PROBLEM DEUX:

Why did you first say in bad Spanish "Problem One" and then in bad Latin "God Problem"?

I think you mean Problema Primero and Problema Segundo, eh?

/grammar Nazi. Or, Nazi de Gramatica.


I think we should hit anyone willing to watch or go inside of Big Brother with a two by four.

 

[NeonZombie]

The only reason the housemates obey big brother is because they don't want to be kicked out and thus miss out on a flimsy chance at fame

 

[Zersy]

I feel bad for all the retarded people who watch it they say it's funny or how many of my freinds say "BB is joke bruv !" i watched a maxium of an hour of big brother and realised how absoulety useless and IQ lowering this show was ! every person they put in the house is pretty dumb and it makes them look dumber while the rest of the world gossips and degrades the people even more. there really is nothing intresting about the damn show people only watch it out of a undieing hope that someone will go berserk and start a arguement so that they can laugh and ***** about it more. even worse is that people actually want to be in the show now this just made me say WTF on a whole new scale, why in all the bloody heart ripping hell would you wanna waste half a year in a no media house full of people you will most likely not get along with and just be in a envireoment that you are just not capable of being comfortable in.

if i was ever stuck in that place i would do my ultra damn best to bust out. Alternatively why not just make another Dead set ?

 

[Grayl]

It used to be cool, now it's just, as already stated, a bunch of weird people who just want to get on TV. Back in the day, they wanted to win and stuff, and you could relate to some of them. But these days it's just not worth watching... I remember once one of the contestants ran in, on the first day, instantly looked in the mirror and said "Oooh, my minge!".

I reckon we should put the Spy from TF2 in there with them... that would make it watchable.