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A Guilty Thrill
Ben sprawled out on the sofa with a can of Strongbow. On the television Ben's neighbours were rowing.
Two years ago a new law was passed that would help the government monitor its citizens 24/7 but would also completely change the entertainment industry. Both a network of CCTV cameras and film crews would record every moment of every persons life and stream it live to everyone's televisions. The idea being that the knowledge that you were being watched by who ever was watching you as well as the government and police would shame you into being on your best behaviour. Of course for some this worked. The kind of people who wanted to be seen in a perfect light were now going to extreme measures to maintain that image. Whereas others seemed to be encouraged by the camera's almost as if they were being dared to be as outrageous as possible. And of course people were able to post comments saying what they thought of the lives of those they were watching, which either shamed or encouraged. Those trying to be perfect felt shamed depite the complimentary comments and those who thrived off the drama were encouraged by the public backlash.
Ben was hooked on this form of entertainment. The fact that this highly amusing argument, which was entirely ridiculous and better than any sit-com he'd seen, was literally happening right next door made it even more of a guilty thrill.
Ben called out to his wife who was in the kitchen. "Hey May, the neighbours are arguing again. Come and have a watch. You don't know what you're missing."
There was the sound of clattering dishes and splashing water. May came running into the lounge still wearing her dripping wet Marigold gloves covered in bubbles. She eagerly plonked herself next to Ben on the sofa. "Brilliant! I love this show!"
© Andrew J Sinclair
Two years ago a new law was passed that would help the government monitor its citizens 24/7 but would also completely change the entertainment industry. Both a network of CCTV cameras and film crews would record every moment of every persons life and stream it live to everyone's televisions. The idea being that the knowledge that you were being watched by who ever was watching you as well as the government and police would shame you into being on your best behaviour. Of course for some this worked. The kind of people who wanted to be seen in a perfect light were now going to extreme measures to maintain that image. Whereas others seemed to be encouraged by the camera's almost as if they were being dared to be as outrageous as possible. And of course people were able to post comments saying what they thought of the lives of those they were watching, which either shamed or encouraged. Those trying to be perfect felt shamed depite the complimentary comments and those who thrived off the drama were encouraged by the public backlash.
Ben was hooked on this form of entertainment. The fact that this highly amusing argument, which was entirely ridiculous and better than any sit-com he'd seen, was literally happening right next door made it even more of a guilty thrill.
Ben called out to his wife who was in the kitchen. "Hey May, the neighbours are arguing again. Come and have a watch. You don't know what you're missing."
There was the sound of clattering dishes and splashing water. May came running into the lounge still wearing her dripping wet Marigold gloves covered in bubbles. She eagerly plonked herself next to Ben on the sofa. "Brilliant! I love this show!"
© Andrew J Sinclair
