“Ma’am, why does my Mom like watching sinetrons on television?”
An ex student of mine asked me this question several weeks ago via chatbox on FB. Instead of giving him direct answer, I asked him to think first,
“Why do you think?”
He was somewhat annoyed perhaps coz I even returned the question to him.
“I need your answer, based on your perspective. I don’t know the answer, that’s why I asked you about that.” he said. LOL.
Well, he was in my SPEAKING 5 class many years ago. As far as I remember, in such classes, I could give any topic to be discussed in the classroom. You can guess of course I exposed my feminist perspective when discussing things in the class.
“I want to hear your idea first, then, I will tell you what I am thinking.” I said.
But he was adamant. LOL. He wanted to hear my opinion.
And I insisted to know his opinion first.
Like teacher like student? LOL.
Unfortunately, some minutes later, he disappeared.
The following day he popped up in the chatbox again, and said, “Ma’am, I have found the answer.”
“Ok. Shoot!” I responded.
“It is because the stories are very interesting and make the viewers curious what will be going on in the continuation. That is what my Mom said when I asked her about it.”
I laughed to hear that. I didn’t laugh at him nor his Mom. Not at all.
Well, if the answer is like that, well, everybody knows, I guess.
“Anything behind that?” I inquired.
He didn’t give me a satisfying answer, but just, “Well, if my Mom thinks as complicatedly as you do, she will not just be a housewife. She will be a lecturer, like you.” he whined. LOL.
However, before I told him my opinion, he disappeared. Until now we haven’t had time to continue this discussion. Therefore, I am writing this. :-)
I remember my time when I was only a housewife. Long long time ago!!! I spent many hours a day to watch TV too. I watched telenovela, such as Maria Mercedez, Marimar, etc. So I think the first reason why many housewives watch sinetrons is because they have plenty of spare time. The second – perhaps this is even the main reason – many mere housewives don’t have lots of things to think, to contemplate, to maximize the use of their brain. They need to find something to think, to contemplate, and even then to discuss together with their neighbors.
People who often use their brain while working will not have much spare space in their brain to think of any other things, such as those themes or stories of sinetrons.
The third reason is perhaps people need to see something to be pitied, so that they will not feel so miserable in their life.
The fourth, people need to escape from their real life.
Anybody else wanna add? You are certainly welcome.
N.B.: Perhaps he is right, I think too complicatedly. LOL.
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7 comments:
I dont know about plenty time to spare. Not all housewives have maids, many have plenty of young kids. So, plenty of work for them.
As for your argument about they have not much to think.. these days, with increasing prices I bet those ladies need to think how to make their hubby's salary last until the end of the month. Or how to supplement their income (beg, borrow, and pray?).
Now the 3rd reason, perhaps.. but why would you pitied something unreal when there are plenty of miseries out there?
One of the most active persons I know loves her Sinetron and she's a high flying lawyer and have side business of her own. So she has plenty to think about, and doesnt need to see sinetron to feel good about herself.
I agree with our last point tho, it's escapism. Personally I cant stand watching sinetron because of the dialogues, seems to me they are screaming or crying all the time. But I know enough people watching it to laugh at those very dialogues.
Triesti,
thanks for the comment. I observe people around me -- in a small town called Semarang -- not in a metropolis like in Jakarta. The story about that lawyer really shocked me. Hmmm ... is it because she has lots of fun -- to laugh at those silly dialogues -- so that she stands sitting still staring at the television? I really cannot understand that. Or do you think she gets some 'exposure' from those silly stories, in case she needs to defend any divorce trials?
i am of opinion that some people have so much pity so that they can share it with those sinetrons they watch as well as with the real miseries.
Triesti,
I agree that not all housewives don't have lots of things to do. In this case of course I only refer to those who don't have lots of things to do, such as the children have grown up, just like the case in my ex student's mom. :)
I am a housewife, luckily I don't watch TV. I don't think we should generalize that housewives are slackers, it is certainly the frame of mind of each individual. Unless we can come up with statistical inference of percentage of housewives watching TV.
In general people who are watching too much TV thinks that they're doing something, gaining something of purpose, whereas in reality they are not doing anything.
Even if a housewife didn't have lots of things to do (which I find to be a rare case) it doesn't mean they don't have lots to think about. And I disagree with your third statement, your indirectly stating that those who watch sinetrons have miserable lives.
Hello Teresa,
Thanks for the comment.
Hi Rani,
thanks for the comment. Yeah ... I agree with you I need to do more researches to get to more accurate statistics what kind of housewives watch TV.
I must say that I only watched people around me, those whose kids have grown up so they really have much spare time, especially during 'prime time' in the evening where most sinetrons are on air.
I am sometimes thinking what I would do if I were a housewife, besides reading, writing, blogging after finishing doing household chores. :) or whether I still have much time left so that I will turn to televisions. :)
Hm...I'm not sure with my opinion. Because I dont like sinetron.
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