A TV Program I Like

by Alton C. Thompson

When I want to relax, I often watch (when it’s on) Blue Bloods on the ION television station.  This is a police program, and I like it for three reasons:

1. Although a police program, most of the violence associated with its episodes is implicit rather than explicit.
2. The cast of actors is excellent—including Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, and Len Cariou.
3. The scripts are excellent—by which I mean especially that the values demonstrated by the central characters are admirable.

Despite the above, I have a problem with the program—a problem that is universal, even with the best of programs.  The characters in the program are primarily oriented to the here-and-now.  In doing so, they convey the message that it’s only the here-and-now that has significance.

This is not to say that the here-and-now has no significance—for I wholly embrace Guy’s “Passionately pursue a life of excellence” (in the here-and-now) advice.  But programs such as Blue Bloods, because its characters have just such an orientation, give the impression that tomorrow will be much like today, the day after tomorrow much like tomorrow, etc.

That’s an utterly false impression, as readers of Guy’s site know full well!   I am in entire agreement with Guy that “our days are numbered,” and use my The End is Near to present my reasons for believing this.

The questions that I have regarding the likelihood that our species will be extinct within a few decades—even a few years—are:

1. Should I keep this “knowledge” to myself; or, rather
2. Should I make an effort to inform others about it?

What I, at least, have concluded—for myself—is that I should make no effort to inform others.  My reasons:

1. Telling others about this would be disturbing news, and because of that fact might cause some of those who learn about this probability to engage in violent activity—including against themselves (a possibility that Guy himself has recognized).
2. In addition to possible negative consequences to informing others about our probable extinction soon, I see little positive about doing so. After all, our doom appears to be inevitable:  I see no reason whatsoever to believe otherwise.

Regarding this latter point, although some, in knowing about this lack of a human future, might follow Guy’s advice, and start living a very positive life, I fear that in balance the effects might be more negative than positive.

A factor that might, however, affect how one reacts to the “news” that our species has no future is level of education:  Those with a high level of education might react more positively to this “news” than those with a low such level.

Now if that’s the case—and I suspect that it is—the “moral” is that one should take care in who one informs about this.

The saying that “discretion is the better part of valor” may be relevant here—the “discretion” part in particular, at least!

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McPherson will be interviewed on This is Hell, a radio program broadcast from Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, 16 January at 10:10 a.m. Eastern. Catch details about connecting to this 40-minute live radio interview at their website.