Becoming Uncultured: Episode #11

While recording this week's The Boundless Show on media consumption, our engineer Dave Salkeld scolded me for not being more open about my favorite television shows. I had a good reason though. I'm embarrassed by them. But because confession is good for the soul, here's the list of my can't miss viewing vices: Lost, The Office, The Amazing Race, Heroes, American Idol, Clemson Tiger Football, and all the majors in golf.

What do you think? Too much? Not discerning enough? Nerdy? Go ahead and judge. I can take it.

The catalyst for our roundtable discussion was Roberto Rivera Y Carlo's most recent Boundless article about going from conversant to clueless with trends in mass culture. Why would he intentionally forsake knowledge that would keep him abreast of what's going on in the world? Because as Roberto notes, there is such a thing as an "improper desire of knowledge."

Here's another question for you: What are your expectations about marriage? In this week's culture segment, Mitch Temple, Focus on the Family's Director of Marriage, discusses the top myths people have entering marriage and how they affect expectations. Here's myth number three: I can change my spouse. Now that's dangerous.

There are several LOL moments in John Thomas's Hungry Years about a DTR that didn't go exactly according to plan. It's about men risking, women responding, and trusting God. And it's funny.

And in keeping with the marriage and risk themes of the previous two segments, our Inbox question comes from a young man who's a bit anxious about taking on the leadership responsibilities of marriage. I'll summarize what Steve, Ted and I tell this guy: Yes, you're called to be a leader. And it's not easy. But do it anyway. It's worth it.

We got an interesting email from a want-to-listen-but-don't-have-the-time Boundless reader asking for the transcript so they could skim the show online. Well, we don't have capacity for that right now but we do have the segment breaks so you can break the show up into manageable lengths.

Intro
Roundtable -- 4:08
Culture -- 17:28
Hungry Years -- 26:55
Inbox -- 32:25

The Show is available on iTunes. Or you can listen now, download the MP3 or subscribe through RSS here.

Comments

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1. Sarah22 said the following at 1:52 PM on Apr 4:

Wait, are you saying you guys can't transcribe the show and send me and my 50 best friends an autographed copy with a personal note to each one of us via snail mail? C'mon! You aren't THAT busy are you?

LOL, j/k!

2. Dave said the following at 2:16 PM on Apr 4:

Can you provide some info on the bumper music used in the podcast this week? If you said it, I missed it, and I was diggin the guitarwork.

Thanks.

3. Motte said the following at 2:23 PM on Apr 4:

Dave:

Big Jim Adams

4. IMO said the following at 2:28 PM on Apr 4:

Here's myth number three: I can change my spouse. Now that's dangerous"....

and SO true. I think that NO matter how virtuous we want to be and think that we accept our spouse just as they are, we DO (whether we are aware of it or not) want to change them (at least initially). That's where a lot of conflict can come in. Especially the first year of marriage.

5. Adam T. said the following at 3:05 PM on Apr 4:

Oooh, Candice says something that I have said before, practically word-for-word - the bit about when you don't own a TV, and haven't watched any TV for quite a while, it's absolutely shocking when you do see the ads and things these days.

(Listen to Candice explain it if you haven't already! :) )

6. Jethro said the following at 4:36 PM on Apr 4:

I hope that's the British version of The Office...

7. Andrew R. (aka Canadian Boy) said the following at 4:52 PM on Apr 4:

TV breakdown:

The Office- Awesome
The Amazing Race- Sweet
Heroes- One of the best shows on TV
American Idol- That show is STILL on?!
Clemson Tiger Football- I'll pass
and all the majors in golf- Not fore me.

I'll listen to the Podcast soon.

8. BDB said the following at 6:34 PM on Apr 4:

The OP wrote:

>>here's the list of my can't miss viewing vices: Lost, The Office, The Amazing Race, Heroes, American Idol, Clemson Tiger Football, and all the majors in golf. <<

Strange...I haven't seen any of these on Discovery or History. Let me check the digital guide...

9. C said the following at 9:50 PM on Apr 4:

I hope that's the American version of The Office. :)

10. Jo said the following at 11:39 PM on Apr 4:

Amen Jethro, the UK Office is genius. :) I've only seen one episode of the US version so I can't judge...

And, I've just watched the first few episodes of Lost on DVD because I wanted to know what all the fuss was about, and I'm definitely going to get hooked. I think it's already happened actually...

Spooks (called MI5 in America) is also brilliant, anyone watch that?

11. Kevin Torres said the following at 8:29 AM on Apr 5:

Pluggedinonline.com is a great way to stay in touch with what is going on in pop culture while at the same time being discerning with the things that enter your mind.

12. Nicole said the following at 4:49 PM on Apr 6:

Nerdy? Try these favorite shows:
Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, CSI:Miami, and FoxNews -- and totally agree on the Clemson Football! (even though I am a grad student at USC)

13. Kelly said the following at 7:34 PM on Apr 6:

If you guys ever do get the time, I echo the request for a transcript. ;) My brain just doesn't "work" with podcasts - I've never been good at just listening. Especially not when I can read information SO much faster.

(Also... bandwidth limits restrict what I can download. :( )

14. Tami said the following at 9:27 PM on Apr 6:

BDB, The Office is a documentary that examines the ramifications of big business' encroachment upon the territory once dominated by smaller-run, local companies. As it examines these important issues, it also delves into the serious sociological issues inherent in today's corporate environment, e.g. what happens when the line between one's work and social life is blurred.

And I must add:

Dun-der Miff-lin! People person's paper people!

15. Ashleigh said the following at 10:28 AM on Apr 7:

As I listened to the discussion on becoming media uncultured, I couldn't help but notice how the conversation didn't account for modern technology such as TiVo and DVRs. It actually felt a bit "dated" to me because it discussed problems with media that these two items help address. Both allow:

1. Viewers to fit those "can't miss" shows around our schedules, rather than being "slaves" to when they're on. I no longer have to be on the couch, remote in hand, at exactly 8 p.m. to catch a show such as American Idol. I can set the DVR to record it and then watch it when time allows. Because of this, I can still make reading my kids a story or talking to my husband a priority. And, unlike the VCR, I can set it to automatically record the entire season. I don't have to spend time each week, setting up the recording.

2. Viewers to bypass watching commercials (not that we can ever fully escape advertising with the amount of "product placement" in shows such as American Idol [Coca-Cola] and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition [Sears and other home-related products/companies]). I rarely sit through commercials anymore, which I love because I don't find myself "assaulted" by them or having to turn the channel quickly as mentioned on the podcast. Additionally, by fast forwarding through the commercials it cuts viewing time down by at least 15 minutes on a 60 minute show.

So while I'm all for less media consumption and the importance of media discernment, I do believe these "modern conveniences" would have changed the conversation a bit if they'd been accounted for in the discussion.

16. Ted Slater said the following at 12:28 PM on Apr 7:

Great points, Ashleigh. Your husband is a blessed man to have you for a wife. ;-)

17. BDB said the following at 1:21 PM on Apr 7:

Tami (#14) wrote:

>>The Office is a documentary that examines the ramifications of big business' encroachment upon the territory once dominated by smaller-run, local companies. <<

Oh. So do they focus on things like how large employers provide health insurance and paid time off, unlike those small businesses?

(Sorry, couldn't resist. I've worked for both types of companies. I didn't realize how much I took for granted things like "bereavement leave" and paid jury duty until I worked for a guy who thought it was silly to offer such things for his employees...)

More people should read Sam Walton's autobiography. He has a whole chapter in the book about how to compete against Wal-Mart. He lists what they do well and what they don't do well - and includes examples of communities who adjusted away from basic products like shampoo and underwear, that Wal-Mart can sell cheaper, and the communities that do well re-focus on specialty items specific to their local communities. It was a really thought-provoking chapter.

18. Melanie said the following at 7:17 PM on Apr 7:

I'd just like to represent for myself as some one who never watched Seinfeld, and gets pretty offended when Christian media wastes my time discussing secular shows. I stopped listening to my local Christian radio station because they spent so much time talking over the week's episode of "Friends" under the guise of "cultural relevance". I haven't a clue what most popular shows are about. . . so what?

19. Sean said the following at 2:44 AM on Apr 9:

Which Amazing Race contestant were Steve and Candice friends with?