Recently I have watched episodes of 'Sex and the City'. Now many times when I tell people that I have watched these TV programmes or that I have watched 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S', they look at me twice. Most probably coz they see me wearing a veil and wonder what could I really understand from these programmes. On the other hand muslims may rightfully say 'it's a sin' to watch these shows.
Well, I personally think the show 'Sex and the city' is one of the best TV shows -from a narrative point of view (let's forget the concept) but yet, honestly, what makes the show narrative so good? Is it the four good looking successful women who have economic freedom. Ha, let's forget third world terminology, but in lay man's words 'Are rich, successful and beautiful' They sleep around with anyone they want, they don't have parent's or in-laws or children or obligations. Is it their freedom more than their 'adventures' that attract viewers?
I suppose a bit of both. One cannot deny that the makers of 'Sex and the city' and of 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' are excellent story tellers. They are complimented by a bunch of really good actors and voila! You have a winning combination. The story is based on lives in Manhattan which is where a lot of people dream to want to be. Their story is about friendship, careers, love - the basic raw emotion of a human being.
Then I ask, is it wrong for me to be attracted to such programmes? Yes - I have wasted a number of hours on them whereas I could have read something on politics or come to know the capital city of Rwanda. Secondly, though these programmes have never made me wish to be these characters coz i feel sad for them. Honestly, sad. What I truly enjoyed was the way they are told. The camera angles, the over voice, the good looking actors and their expressions. Amazing! In fact, it makes me wanna get out and make my own movie!
By the way, though my stories blog is centered around muslim characters and our world and way of living, I am also quite capable of writing a secular story. There was a time I had a house full audience of hostel girls as I sat and made them picture a movie that I had made, imagined, scene by scene, with the credits rolling.
I assure you they did not let me have an interval :)
Therefore, a creative person would watch programmes, not because it eptimotises their 'hidden need to be that' or one tempted to this kind of life but simply because it's an enthralling presentation whether good or bad.
And so the magician is not the story or the characters, but the story teller. An artful story teller can take any bit of news, events, imagination and weave up a thread of magic by how he tells the story. Its these magicians that attracts us all to good shows, good books and good blogs.
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