I'm just going to say what I'm sure we're all thinking. ABC's new reality dating show Dating in the Dark is pure, evil genius. Don't give me that look. I dare you to stare me straight in the eyes and convince me that you don't delight at the idea of seeing human emotions (albeit shallow NPC emotions) completely exploited. In case your silly (obsolete) social conscience has prevented you from watching it I'll set it up for you: Three guys and three girls are brought to a house. They aren't allowed to see each other so the girls stay in one wing of the house and the boys in the other. Their only contact is in the dark room where you can't even see your hand in front of your face. After having a few encounters in groups and one on one, it's revealed who they have been matched with based on compatability. They have a one on one with their match and after that they get to pick which one they'd like to have a final date with and then see with the lights on. If they like what they see they can meet that person on the balcony. If not they can walk out the front door (which is visible from the balcony) and go home. Sounds simple enough, right? And it is. But if you'd have asked me beforehand what I thought of the concept I would have said a resounding "Boring!" and assumed the average result would be that the lookers were gonna walk out on the dogs in overwhelming numbers. To my pleasant surprise it's far more depraved than all that.
The show's host poses the question each week "Is love blind?" but I think we all know that's not what any of us are here for. No, we're here to see just how stupid people are willing to make themselves look on TV. Interestingly enough, they seem to have no limit. It's not like the producers have told them "Now if you go out on this balcony, that's it. You're done with dating. You're legally bound to this individual for life." So logic tells me if I don't want to look like an asshole I should go out there no matter what a hideous chud the other person is. Apparently this doesn't occur to the daters. And the best part is they really seem to struggle with the decision once they've figured out how "ugly" the person is. (Will I be able to tolerate her whopping size 8 figure in a long term relationship? Can I really overcome the obstacle of his weak jaw line and curly hair?) I mean its not hard to imagine that people are going to make their real decision based on attraction rather than a feeling of sympathetic understanding with the person. But that they would do it so unabashedly, without shame or even vain attempts at justification, speaks volumes about what I don't know about our society.
Don't get me wrong. The show has surprised me in more ways than one. I even found myself taken aback by people who seemed to actually overcome their preconceived notions about physical attraction. Its been a life long problem of mine to misunderstand why people are drawn to the things that draw them, and I've likewise been drawn to what most people detest for the very same reasons they detest it. But mostly (and most pleasantly for my purposes), it warms my heart to know I'd given the majority of people too much credit for the better part of my life. Thanks ABC. I'm looking forward to next week.
Fret not. The Promethea review is on its way. But first a word from our dear Avis.
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