BB: Real Britain?
Jermaine Jackson has a sort of Zen-like wisdom. "You can't reason with stupidity" was one his great bits of advice. But you've got to have a go haven't you? Especially if your programme is a phone-in.
So this was day three of us trying to get into the minds of the Big Brother housemates. Of course you wonder if it鈥檚 worth trying. But the calls, texts and emails from the listeners confirmed it is the right place to be. Probably because what the Five Live listeners have to say is much more interesting than most of the stuff you hear in the BB house. And you don't have to wait so long for the good bits!
Is Shilpa the victim of racism? Basic bullying? Class envy? Jealousy because she's beautiful? Or is she just getting a crash course in British culture. The listeners who got in touch had lots of different takes on it.
We got up some people's noses: plenty asked us to stop going on about it. "Do us a favour and cease broadcasting...the savings can be passed onto the hard-up licence payer".
But for every one who said "I don鈥檛 care, I don't watch, I'm off to Radio 2 until it鈥檚 over", there are many more who want a say.
It started off about racism. Was it or wasn't it? The audience was split: "everyone is missing the point - it all boils down to jealousy", "it's about class", "it's about beauty". Looks, culture, money, class...or race. In the end I think the definition of racism depended on race.
Of course I don't know what colour our listeners are when they call, text or email. But lots of the people who are telling us this is racism, are from ethnic minorities. They are telling us what they see and hear on the TV echoes their experience and they spell it out.
Some of the best calls, the ones that really tell us something important, are these ones. They show this issue isn鈥檛 just hot air, media waffle, and pedantic definitions. It's about what people have to put up with in their lives. Here's what one listener said "I am glad it raises it on TV because it brings it into the open."
But for lots of people it's just a great opportunity to be really, really rude about people. How often do you get that chance to be truly vitriolic? And the wonderful thing is the range of targets: the "celebs" of course got the worst of it. But there were delicious digs at "band wagon-jumping" politicians, manipulative tossers in the media, halfwits in the house and out of it. No one escaped the lash. Least of all us, "for falling for the most transparent broadcast scam ever".
Today the debate moved on. We asked people if they reckon BB is real Britain. Yes it is. Teachers, police officers, parents, social workers all rang in, texted and emailed to say boorish Britain is the reality. "I am a primary school teacher. Jade is not the exception, she is the norm."
"I don't blame Big Brother - it has just turned a mirror onto the country and the image that has come back is ugly."
But it鈥檚 not all hand-wringing. Jermaine Jackson has his disciples in the Five Live audience: "Being stupid is the whole point. You could put Mother Theresa and Ghandi in the BB house, and they'd bitch. If you think this is real Britain you need to get out of the house more."
Comments
More proximate to 'Little Britain' - except not nearly as entertaining! At least LB is supposed to be satirical......
Now the 成人快手 is entertaining associations with this celeb-aberration on the butt of society!
Success is now measured by complaint ratings, it seems.
A bizarrely destructive trend for mass-media vehicles. Crash Test Dumming, maybe?
Don't go there!
This is the first time i am watching Bb, and this was because Shilpa Shetty was in it.
I am amused, disappointed and shocked with the recent events on the show. After watching it and reading the review, i feel that there is an element of Racism, jealousy and bullying going on.
There have been comments by housemates about what she cooks, her english and other things.
I would really like to test the Jade Goody 'Gang' their IQ, proficiency in english and other languages.
Examples like Embryo and Eskimo make me think whether these people even know how to read english and whether they have ever gone to school.
All they seem to do is sit around and pass comments on other house mates.And each has a past filled with disgraceful events.
Although Shilpa Shetty has denied being racially abused - I feel that she has, and it in good faith and wisdom that she has denied it.
You know its real when you see people at their worst. That's why it's interesting. When they first get up in the morning. When they don't feel well. When they are irritated because things haven't gone well. When someone rubs them the wrong way. Real British women. And apparantly, one real Indian media maharani. An explosive combination under one roof. Like cats in a bag. Hey 成人快手, how about some under cover interviews with people who know her intimately back in India. Find out what kind of a person she really is. Get the low down dirt. If you are going to be accused of being no better than a supermarket check out counter tabloid, you might as well act like one. Or are you going to let them scoop you?
Maybe the members of the ethnic minorities who feel that these attacks are racist are not paying attention to how the average British child deals with those around them that they don't like (and while they are legally adults the behaviour in the big brother house has been very child like and immature).
British children will find some reason to victimise someone that they don't like and use that to attack them. It is immature and ignorant but not racist.
I suspect we are entering (or have entered) a stage where racism is such a hot issue that any slight is considered to be a racist attack.
I never fully understood why bullying was considered more severe when it was racial and not because of another difference that marked the victim out. Is it really worse to tease someone because of their race then because they have, for example, ginger hair or glasses? After all in both cases it is picking on someone who is different
What I would like to know is; why is this such a big deal? Was it done to take our minds off what is really happening to our World. Make a big issue about nothing, and then, as has been said; 'a good day to bury bad news'
Lets face it racism or not, it is hardly of any consequence. Everybody has some racism in them of one form or another. It's human nature to be wary of someone different to oneself.
Suspicion and fear will never go away. Shame, but there it is.
Bernard.
What we need is a great big melting pot. - Blue Mink.
Reality TV should be flushed down the toilet.
'But there were delicious digs at "band wagon-jumping" politicians,'
I really have to despair at comments like this and the front page of this morning's Daily Mail. What exactly does the British public want there politicans to do?
Was it wrong of Tony Blair to respond to a question in PMQ's from a backbench MP? Was it wrong of his offical spokesman to respond questions from the lobby?
Was it wrong for Gordon Brown to answer questions from the British media on the subject when he was in India? Remember he was being asked about the story countless times by Indian journalists. (Interestingly at this morning's press conference with the Indian Finance Minister, it was the British lobby that asking questions about CBB rather than the Indian press). Also Gordon Brown was advised to make a statement by the British High Commissioner that accompianed him on the visit.
Was it wrong for David Cameron to answer a question on the issue when he appeared on a question and answer session on the 成人快手?
Was it wrong for Jack Straw to answer a question from backbench MP this morning in House of Commons business questions?
Was it wrong for Keith Vaz to put down a EDM when he was probably contacted by many of his constituents?
I'm sorry this is not politicans jumping on the bandwagon and I find it pretty amazing that elements of the 成人快手 can suggest that it is the case. What exactly are politicans supposed to do when asked about something happening in popular culture? Just respond 'no comment'. Let's get some perspective here, no politican has suggested that there is going to be a new tax, or taskforce, or new legislation. The most that politican have said is that it should be investigated by Ofcom - what exactly is wrong with that?
But do'nt let facts get in the way of politican bashing or government bashing on a Five Live phone in.
Jade's behaviour
in the episode relating to an outburst towards Shilpa Shetty is ridiculous!!!
Jade comes across as an untamed, ill mannered and disrespectful personality who is mistaken that she would claim her fame !!!....its a shame that Britain actually supports intellectually liposucked TV junkies ..
BB has been an absolute disgrace specially with
Jade's behaviour
in the episode relating to an outburst towards Shilpa Shetty is ridiculous!!!
Jade comes across as an untamed, ill mannered and disrespectful personality who is mistaken that she would claim her fame !!!....its a shame that Britain actually supports intellectually liposucked TV junkies ..
BB has been an absolute disgrace specially with
I think its just Jade and her gang being b*tchy rather than racism; Jade's not the cleverest of people, and says whatever comes into her head. I can't believe its turned into a international incident!
Real god must've damned those who created castsystem in India.Even today in India so called lower cast people are denied water and forced to live outside the village boundries by so called upper cast.Mostly those who can afford to go abroad from india are from this so called upper cast.I feel very angry when these people oppose racism but at the same time follow inhuman castsystem in their own country india.I hope the world will protest against both racism and castism.Scientifically there's only one cast,creed,race of all humankind that is *Homosapian.
The quote given about turning a mirror onto the country is a very accurate one. For me, the shock isn't the language and attitude of a few of the housemates towards Shilpa, it's the reaction of much of the public who mistakenly believe that the racist language in the house is somehow an anomaly, something uncommon in our open-minded country. I don't believe that Jade should be made a scapegoat, as The Sun is attempting to do today. She is merely the product of her environment and that environment is a racist one.
I think the British Media favour certain cultures and they are not British Cultures. Dispatches viewed the worst kind of racist talk I have ever seen and none of this is being broadcast. Brits like me sit at home fustrated at the fact that only one side is being listened to. Therefore the media themselves are causing tensions and racism. Print this if you dare.
"You can't reason with stupidity."
You can't govern with just charisma.
You can't achieve democracy with PARTY politics." You can't decide right from wrong with war. You can't beat them by joining them. You can't expect an intellect, mounted on an animal to function. You can't get your voice heard by posting. You can't reason with stupidity.
BB as well as Reality TV Shows have revealed our ugly nature. In the case of America [where I live], it has revealed the ethnic divisions, and racial hatreds. It is these shows that cause conflict, wars, and killings.
There was one station KDND in California that had a reality radio show in which people drank an excess amount of water to win a Nintendo. The Winner of the Contest died and the Radio Hosts of the KDND Show "The Morning Rave" were laughing as their contestant was dying.
It has come to the point that I became so angry because of BB and KDND that I E Mailed the KDND Article [Great Britain will have to resolve the BB Issue] to CRI [China], IRIB [Iran]. They used the KDND article in their nightly report to show the US Hollywood Elite for what they are, insensitive.
Reality TV should be flushed down the toilet.
I'm sure Channel 4 appreciate all the extra publicity the 成人快手 are giving Big Brother.
Today the tabloids (and that term covers all news sources these days) cry crocodile tears for Shilpa Shetty and lambast Jade Goody... next week, they'll turn it all around the opposite way and claim that Jade Goody was only voicing what we all really think deep down and how Shilpa Shetty was actually a stuck-up snob. Jade Goody will be forgiven by all the same people who made her famous in the first place and she'll make a fortune from selling her side of the story.
And then the week after, there'll be some other media panic about nothing, which will receive the same treatment.
All you need to do is take a step back and look at what all the newspapers (and television news programmes) are telling you to see what's really going on.
Snobbery both ordinary and inverted no less.
Has everyone gone completely mad? What on earth are they going on and on and on about, we are fast becoming a nation of 鈥測ou mustn鈥檛 have a though that the government or Europe don鈥檛 approve of. But that doesn鈥檛 include snobbery does it. One is allowed to be as condescending as one likes (so long as its not aimed at an ethnic group) aim it at poorly educated working class girls and that鈥檚 acceptable.
Bullying has been a very large part of Big Brother from the very first house. When Jade was in the house I remember thinking that they should get her out as I felt she was being pushed over the edge and was very vulnerable. Fortunately she proved me wrong.
It seems to me its ok for jermaine to make remarks like 鈥淲hite Trash鈥 but not for these silly girls who in my opinion felt belittled by Shilpa and unfortunately reacted rather childishly, but then they are younger than the others who consider themselves their betters.
If that is racist then we don鈥檛 have much to worry about then do we, I though it was far more serious and insidious than that. What we have seen in the House has not been pretty viewing but has mainly been down to different classes reacting and posturing, on both sides.
We saw snobbery when Derek was in the house how he tried to belittle those he considered beneath him, there was no outcry then, clearly there would have been had it been directed at him.
For god sake lets grow up a little folks.
Having watched 'Big Brother', I really don't think Jade Goody was/is being racist. Jo and Dannielle, however, were behaving like school girls and taking their roles as Jade's No.1 and No.2.
There is certainley bullying going on and this has shown the 3 girls true colours. Shilpa is a nice human being and I haven't seen her do anything to suggest otherwise. I wish Teddy Sherigan all the luck in the world, if he's planning on marrying Dannielle!
Who says racism doesn鈥檛 exist in Britain. Its deep down .This the reality shown on BB. Ask any Indian (not British born) they go through the same sort of racism in offices everyday . I have experienced worst.
Shilpa Shetty is a big name so its been acknowledged.
As a postscript: Jermaine Jackson said everything in the last quote in your opening gambit.
BB's not real, it's highly cured ham! Well, it's 'off', in fact....
Ms Shetty must have taken the gig to get some exposure in the UK - and internationally. Her management possibly didn't anticipate quite the level of noise that has erupted, but I do believe that her submission to The House (..of Boreds?) has raised her profile for her career's betterment. She has been tempered in the fires of Reality! Don't wail over crocodile tears!
I'd never heard of Ms Shetty before; She has won my attention! The marketing worked. Respect!
I think this whole furore is more interesting, not when viewed specifically from the racist perspective, but when viewed from the role of the media. Everyone wants to be a celebrity: even one of the stupidest people ever to appear on-screen is now a milionairess. This is how the media panders to the lowest common denominator: show stupid people other stupid people acting stupidly on TV so they do not feel excluded and can aspire to be that stupid celebrity and buy washing-up liquid (or mobile phones)during the ad breaks. And Channel 4 know full well when they plan a programme like BB that the selection process has to make it more watchable, and stupid people will always be either irritating or amusing! I'm sure they would be the last ones to suggest that they never expected anything along these lines to happen - except of course to their sponsor Carphone Warehouse, who, as far as I'm concerned, are the real pillocks in this situation: you sponsor a show like BB, and then when something happens that actually has some social repurcussions and gets the racism debate going again, you pull your support! It's like the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake Super Bowl incident all over. When Justin I'm-didn't-know-she-was-going-to-reveal-her-boob-even-though-I-pulled-her-costume-away Timberlake gave his outrage speech to the press he was just saving his pathetic little skin when he should have put his hands up, admitted his role in the stunt and said that he personally found women's breasts inoffensive. In this case, Carphone Warehouse have completely misjudged the situation. The comments and the bullying in the house (BB not the Commons!) are not good, but I'm sure there are far more people nationwide condemning the actions of the housemates involved, than supporting them. CW wanted all the credit for backing BB while the going was, as they perceived it, good, but as soon as anything 'real' happens, they want out. As Channel 4, the British public and CW are now learning, you cannot have it both ways.
Is it not the case in recent years that many British females have undergone extreme changes in their behaviour, displaying many of the traits encouraged in the'Big Brother'programme concept.
There seems to be a great deal of evidence to show that the testosterone levels in British females has brought about a significant change in the way they wish to be seen;e.g. the 'Ladette' culture which continues to predominate on the Social Scene, where they are choosing to display the worst of male violent charactistics.
It appears that Britain has lost much of its social fabric in the last three decades,much of it is lost,due to the extent of social engineering carried out since the dawn of the Thatcherite era; to diminish the idea of real community for all,in favour of promoting the individual self.
The goverment and the Media have a crucial part to play in the way our country strives for a better future.
I believe both the goverment and the media have failed in their responsibility to nurture the morals
and principals which our nation has fought for, for centuries to maintain.
The Big Brother concept is built on denigrating and bullying behaviour.
It's not just for laughs it's for real,after all this is reality.
Ernest.
I must admit that I don't watch BB, but the sheer volume of media coverage compelled me to know more about it.
The pretty and seemingly intelligent Indian Actress should not have agreed to participate in this moronic media circus. By appearing, she exposed herself to verbal abuse racial or not.
The not so pretty Jade Goody has demonstrated her phenomenal ignorance and stupidity. She was screaming "you are normal, you are normal not a princess" indicates that her standard of English is poor. I presume she meant "you are an ordinary girl like us" etc. One fact became obvious about Jade, she managed to combine the worst aspects of an inadequate person despite her material wealth.
The media had built a monster, and the media must demolish it.
For the record, I am of a mixed race heritage and I believe that the big issue in Big Brother is the bullying that Shilpa has had to endure.
I don't think for one moment that Jade had racism in her heart when she opened her mouth. She has been targeted primarily by the media as a figure of "hate" but what of Danielle and Jo's actions they, in my mind were complicit in not only the bullying but also of racism.
I think it's a shame that so little focus has been placed on the bullying.
But I also think it's shameful that other adults in the house did not work to defuse the situation. It's all very well being supportive in the bedroom or in the diary room. But if you don't stand up in the heat of an arguement or when others are making vicious comments, then aren't you just as guilty by lack of omission?
Jade, Jo, Danielle and Jack are young, immature people, in fact no better than children. But that does not negate the damage that has been caused by their bullying tactics. I only hope that when Jack, Jo and Danielle leave that they are held just as accountable for their actions, in fact shouldn't they also be villified in the press and public eye?
Big Brother has attempted to make the housemates aware of what they've said, unfortunately several hours later but they have focused on the element of racism. Very little focus has been placed on the actions of bullying.
Label it "racist bullying" and the greater focus, as so far seen will always be placed on the racism.
So really the media, government and public response is that we will not stand for racism but bullying is ok!
Yes there are plenty of people like Jade, but there are plenty who are not. Please don't tar everyone with the same brush - that would be racist, wouldn't it?
This week events in BB has brought bitter flavour to most of us, to some I feel made them remember when they were bullied at school. That is why it made such impact. Jo and Danielle behave just like spoiled children in the playground abusing others verbally highlighting the differences, in this case, race and nationality. If we look back, children are cruel we develop our moral values gradually and well we behave the way we do when we are children.
Many things went wrong in the BB house and not only due to Jade, she has been the scapegoat, the question should not have been "are you racist?" but why did you bully Shilpa? If you look closely (as Jermaine, Davina and others have spotted) things got worse due to Jo and Danielle, the racist comments come from them, and Jade basically did not think before many things (she regrets now)came out from her mouth.
Like when we are meeting people from different cultures, surely there is place for many misunderstanding that can be sorted with dialogue, which we didnt see there and also asking the rights questions to the person involved (To Jo, I would like to see her being asked "Why did you make racist comments?"). The fact that we can go wrong due to intolerance, ignorance and stupididy can cause that we can lose control over the situation and what we say. I dont mean to excuse her but I feel sorry for Jade as she is taking responsability for something created and worsen by others, channel 4, BB producers, Jo & Danielle.
For Mark E who wonders why bullying can be seen as worse than racism, well, check this link
Enough already! Continuing to place 'Big Brother' and the word 'reality' in the same sentence is starting to get more than a little annoying. This trash is not reality but the media equivalent of pet food. Yes you could eat it, but why would anyone with a half a brain ever want to?
This is crude improvisation, crudely engineered and directed by commercial interests that deliver zero entertainment, educational or other value.Taunted Shilpa remained clueless to hit back the comments like 鈥淲here these hands goes!鈥 Jade Goody forget the fact that Indians using enormous water in toilet instead of tissue paper. So whose body is odorless?. Goody and company were so critical of shilpa鈥檚 English accent. Let鈥檚 forgive them why because the knowledge of English and its accent are not the criteria of human wisdom and excellence.
I think tghe comment by Kiran Uttarker is the only valid remark I have so far seen on this question. M.P.s and others who should know better join in to gain "Brownie" points. Has no-one heard of the biblical saying "take not the mote out of thy brother's eye while there is yet a beam in thine own.
Big Brother is a ridiculous show. I really can't understand how it can such power over the public. Have we all gone mad. Read 1984. Think about it. This show is a set up, and a con trick. The people on this show would say anything to win and get attention. In a cut throat world can you blame them. It does not reflect the wider community at all. I see British people as generally caring, tolerant - it has taken a hundreds of years for Britain to evolve into the sophisticated democracy that it is. Why should such a program be given all this attention.
I cannot say for sure because I don't watch BB, but a freind of mine who does watch it told me Jermaine Jackson was heard to call others "White Trash".
Is 'White Trash' a racist remark?
Or is racism a term set aside for non-white to use against whites?
Jades comments were not racist - they were just childish and pretty stupid (esp on Nat TV!). I defend her, yet I don't even like her - but I do it for the principle.
After all, even if her comments were racist - what about her right to Freedom of speech? What about her right to Freedom of opinion or belief?
It's not like Shipla was reduced to tears and complained to BB that she was being picked on. It's not like she was physically abused in any way due to her race or had racists slogans shouted at her. PC should be about accepting EVERYONE regardless of how their views/opinions might conflict with your own.
People have differing views and opinions - THAT'S LIFE!!! The sooner we ALL realise that EVERYONE has the right to their own differing opinons - no matter how backwards and childish they might seem - the better.
I for one am sick and tired of being told by the "PC Brigade" what I can and cannot think and who's beliefs I should HAVE to accept. After all - it's not as though people have been very accepting of Jade - even if she is a moron.
All the noise about BB and racism is rubbish. If britain is racist they can only be so because of what they are - HUMANS. Racism is natural, whether it's bad or good is very limited to the wisdom & imagination of humans. Wait a minuit, don't even animals discriminate against themselves? Even according to race? Of course they do; what they don't do is waste all the time they got in their world screeming about something beyond their control, something as natural as blood. I have lived in many european cities and from experience i can safely say that whites are racist, not predominantly because they are fevered or jaundiced but because they are natural. As an african i "realistically" expect to be discriminated against anytime am in a white setting and because am always prepared for their natural deficiency i easily overcome these racial malaise. Anyway one thing no one can take away from the whites is their (Ability, Willingness & Readiness) to expose negative tendencies no matter how self damaging. In Africa Racism, Discrimination - negativities - is more destructive, degrading and disgracefull to humanity more than anywhere else, even black on black. Many of those trying to tie Britain to the BB mess are from a more racism prevalent society. Britain is a normal society, BB is a plotter's one. Racism in itself is as natural as Death.
Rossana, in my comment I asked:
"I never fully understood why bullying was considered more severe WHEN it was racial and not because of another difference that marked the victim out. Is it really worse to tease someone because of their race then because they have, for example, ginger hair or glasses? After all in both cases it is picking on someone who is different
"
Bullying is a serious issue itself. However, the big discussions about Jade and co's actions were if the actions were racist, as if it doesn't matter that they acted like bullies just as long as they were not racist bullies. I don't feel that Jade's actions were actually racist, but it was certainly bullying.
And in response to Bernard, if a non-white person called me white-trash then I would consider it to have a racial undertone, but it would really depend on the way it was said. If it was clearly intended as a joke then I would take it that way.
Last night on Coronation Street, the young girl was asked if she had seen Ches, to which she replied I would have noticed him, after all hes a GINGER TOP.
Can you imagine the 成人快手s news coverage for the next two weeks if she had said that his skin was another colour rather than his hair.
Get a grip 成人快手 news!
Another view on the BB farce:
this is just another pantomime, designed to strenghthen the so called 'Anti-Hate Laws', and take another bit of freedom away.
Shilpa Shetty,was brought all the way from India to stay in the BB house. Why, when there are plenty of British Indian actresses to choose from? It was so there would be a clash of cultures.
Who would this benifit?
The Germans are trying to get the holocast denial law implimented throughout Europe. They will not be able to get it into Britain. So I think this BB rubbish is to get a law in Britain against saying anything, against anybody who is not white British. Therefore effectivly making it an offence to say anything of the Jews, Zionist or not.
Mark E. I have been racking my brains for an instance where I would not be offended if somebody called me 'White Trash'. I cannot think of one. If anybody did, I would 'wack em' on the nose!
Science has been able to do wonders and proves that god's also in favour of sceince.We must not continue inhuman traditions calling them "natural" or "culture".We humans keep improving ourselves on the basis of knowledge we get.Now we know that scintifically all humankind belongs to only one true race,caste,creed that is *Homosapian.As a marginalised Indian in my own country India I hope that as this scientific fact will spread across the globe the whole world will oppose all manmade differances i.e. race,cast,cread.
Science has been able to do wonders and proves that god's also in favour of sceince.We must not continue inhuman traditions calling them "natural" or "culture".We humans keep improving ourselves on the basis of knowledge we get.Now we know that scintifically all humankind belongs to only one true race,caste,creed that is *Homosapian.As a marginalised Indian in my own country India I hope that as this scientific fact spreads across the globe the whole world will oppose all manmade differances i.e. race,cast,cread.
We can't continue following inhuman traditions in the name of "natural" or "culture".If you can then stop wearing clothes from tomorrow because it's "natural".
Rasism? has anyone not notice the irony of this rediculous over blown case of emphasised (due to the careful editing) case of school playground behaviour, which is present in every school, office and any other area of our lives?? the irony being this whole, now international debate started from a comment which ran along the lines of 'you are normal like us not a princess' being said from a white person to an indian, i wonder what the reaction would have been if it was the other way around? perhaps i am missing something, however that very statement is quite the opposite from racist, its saying your the same as us, so stop making your own divisions. does any body agree?
The hounding Jade Goody has received from the press also strikes me as being a little ironic, here we are as a nation trying to show we are above this pathetic bullying and or racism. by scapegoating a women constantly described as stupid and other similar terms, how can that not be bullying?
it seems to me both sides of the argument have lost the point!
I agree that racism is everywhere in Britain today. For all I know in the same situation I may have behaved in a similar manner to Jade. But it is difficult to prove she was being racist as she was in a completely unnatural situation. What i believe is worse is that noone was willing to take Jade, Danielle or Jo aside and say calm down, stop bullying Shilpa. This is wrong. Like children in a playground noone will fight for the outcast. Maybe Britain should teach moral values to our youth and then we wont have bullying, racism or bigotry in the first place.
I think BB is a goldfish bowl of very normal group behaviour, despite its artificial setting, showing the often painful stages of forming, storming, norming and performing. Most of us are far more socially compliant than people realise, and react instinctively for psychological self-preservation. Very few can overcome the paralysis that grips bystanders in a crisis situation, and this is what we've been seeing, not monsters, victims or uncaring witnesses. And it is sadly true that 'All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing'. I'm sure this scenario happens regularly in school, work and social situations. I've seen it often during training courses, with people being scapegoated for being disabled, foreign, posh, common, too clever or stupid, too attractive or ugly, or old ..... Some intervention and support helps, .... but BB does that. Seems just like real life to me, except that in BB they can walk away.