School Pub Article

LOVE ACCORDING TO THE MASS MEDIA: Does it always have to be like that?

"It's us against the world!" Oh, the ever-popular line of teleserye protagonists! True to that statement, they are always bombarded with problems, with life-threatening events, and with people so determined to plot against their lives. These scenarios may be exciting on the silver screen and on the tube but should love always be like that?

Filipinos love drama. Honestly, without twists in a teleserye, will it ever be considered exciting? Some people (author included) who aren't thrilled and attracted to "Pinoy twists" -- which consists of "My family hates you", "We are Romeo and Juliet", "Bad-girl-gets-the-good-guy-through-her-michievous-actions", and the classic "You are adopted!" -- cannot anymore count the times they have screamed "What?! THAT plot again?! Okay, I had enough!" A viewer has the choice of turning off the TV when he/she thinks that the show is senseless. However, those who are really into "super dramatic" teleseryes can be affected by the themes shown on the shows.

One concept that is most often misrepresented on Philippine television is the idea of a love story. It's as if television shows relay the message that your relationship is not that strong once you and your special someone did not have the opportunity to survive from a hostage situation or escape from a building where a bomb was planted. It's funny and irritating at the same time. Here are other skewed ideas injected by script writers on love stories:

1.) It does not matter how old you are as long as you are in love. You are wise enough and people find it cute when they see young teen couples.

As I was browsing Facebook one day, I saw a post from a 12 year old girl that says "Baby, I love you and I'll never let you go. #You'remyeverything #Iloveyou #18forever". My first reaction was "Uhhhh..." Nowadays, it seems as though even young kids are starting to enter into romantic relationships thinking it is okay and it will not hurt them. I associate this effect on tweens to TVseryes that show what is popularly known as "young love". Take Princess and I, Luv U, and Tween Hearts as an example. In these shows, the young protagonists already have their own love stories and they are portrayed as blissfully happy, without problems, and without concern. They look like they are already going down the road of their "happy ever after". This fairy-tale idea influences kids' minds and they begin to think that having a premature love lives at a very early age would give them all the happiness in the world -- which, unfortunately, is not true.

2.) There will always be people plotting against you and the one you love. They are on a corner just waiting for a perfect time to prance at you.

This ingredient is ever present on primetime shows. The bitter antagonist could be a jealous ex-girlfriend, a possessive best friend, a relative who wants to bring you unhappiness. Whoever that is, a love story is always in for a surprise; evil is always lurking. Sometimes these scenes can make me ponder "Can a love story just be peaceful? Can it just be harmonious where there are no threats like this and where the couple can have the chance to be happy and where no one dies?" It is undeniable, the Romeo and Juliet element is still a huge hit to modern day stories but it's not healthy to be seen over and over again.

3.) "Affairs" are now "beautiful".

I'm sure it's not only me who noticed how love stories with "affairs" on their titles have graced the big screen and the local televisions. Scriptwriters have screamed "Eureka!" because they have finally found a plot that catches watcher's attentions. This is one of the most heartbreaking realities. The mass media has a great influence on citizens and what they show could influence those who see them. Instead of brainstorming for shows with positive topics to strengthen family, they expose the complete opposite: you can have an affair and you can be happy while you're in it, you can have sex before marriage and can be completely happy the morning after. These are sensitive topics that harm the whole concept of love. They should shun it and hate it. However, for the love of money, they do nothing about it.

Love is a beautiful thing. It is splendid and if respected, treated wisely and righteously, can bring complete bliss and felicity. Love gives hope despite of the problems. Love, in a right way, can bring a solution to a problem and not the problem itself. God is love, and love should mean happiness. In this world, the factors that contribute to the misconception of love is many and you can see them everyday on your television screens.

Although there are shows that carry with them a negative message, there are also shows that relay a comforting plot. Awful plots will always be there but we should be wise enough to know what to believe in and what to allow to get into our heads. Love is not created to be a means for sadness. It always brings hope. And there will always be a hope within my heart that the mass media won't completely forget it.