Well stated, from Entertainment Weekly:
About “The Pearl” station:
…I wonder if what Alvar wastrying to do was teach human beings one simple behavior that could savethemselves from self-destruction. That behavior?
Becoming self-aware.
And then, after enlightenment — action.
Consider again the Pearl video, which begins with a quote from Dr. Karen DeGroot, one of his Dharma collaborators:
”Careful observation is the only key to true and complete awareness.”
Alvar’s hope was this:
The Pearl occupants would grow increasingly curious about the things they hadn’t been told, and more than that, concernedabout the test subjects in the Swan, especially as they ”struggled tocomplete their task.” In fact, I think Alvar hoped the observers inthe Pearl would become appalled by what they saw happening inThe Swan, and feel guilty about their own participation in theexperiment. Hanso hoped that the Pearl-based watchers would revoltagainst the system, free the Hatch inhabitants, and reveal to them thehidden structures that govern their lives.
In other words, what Alvar Hanso was trying to do was upload intothe MG Field a bold new biological imperative that would change theworld, a new appetite to replace the appetite for destruction:
The drive for ENLIGHTENMENT.
A desire for CHANGE.
But it didn’t work.
WHY?
Because The Pearl observers didn’t become curiousabout the alarming mysteries of their endeavor. They didn’t becomeconcerned about the struggles of The Swan occupants.No, like good little worker bees, they just did their job, as instructed by the dubious dude in the video.
And like good little TV watchers, they just sat back and enjoyed the show.
Silly Alvar. He thought watching TV could actually save the world.But if he knew then what we know now, he would know that could neverhappen. Why?
Survivor. Big Brother. The Bachelor. Wife Swap. Temptation Island.
Inother words: the guys in The Pearl were your average REALITY TV FANS.Watching people suffer… well, that’s just funny! And those journalsthey were keeping?
BLOGS.
Television without pity, indeed.
Fortunately, we have Lost. Because Lost is all aboutpromoting introspection and redemption; about taking a journey thatreveals that truth of our lives, and inspiring us to live our livesdifferently, and for the better.
Right?
RIGHT?!?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to watch Survivor exploit some racial stereotypes. HILARIOUS!
Succinctly my view on LOST’s satire of survivor, in specific and general. It’s a great article.
Crap. Now I wish I watched these shows. All I watch is BSG. I watch Desperate Housewives when puts it on and then I can’t look away.
You would adore LOST. Trust me. If you are interested, rent the series I and II DVDs over their hiatus this holiday season, I can get you access to episodes so far this year.
I think you really would like Lost. The moral questions, the meanings of connections between past and present, the whole question of humanity and responsibility combined with smokin’ tank top hotness is just…delicious.
Don’t forget shirtless Sawyer.
And yes, David, you really would like Lost. Trust us. You’ll probably want to buy the DVDs, but renting is ok for the first viewing.