By: UKVIEWER
No one in Big Brother seems to have polarized opinion more than
Alison this year, and most people either loathe her or like her. There are very
few people taking the middle ground where this particular HG is
concerned.
Most of us, in essence, live by the morals taught to us by our
parents and enforced by the legal system. This is what defines “acceptable”
behavior, and it is pretty constant among all of us. The intelligent majority
of posters on this forum are capable of distinguishing between “game play” and
“malicious play”, between “game” behavior and “unacceptable” behavior. We are
also able to project ourselves into the artificial world of the BB house and
understand how we, ourselves, may behave in similar circumstances.
To
have to lie, to succeed, has become an “acceptable” ploy in BB, not that it is
necessary, just that it is acceptable within the context of this game. But there
is a world of difference between a “game” lie and a “malicious” lie. Fans, nor
in fact anyone, at this stage of a reality show, would accept murdering ones
opponents as an acceptable game ploy.
The turning point for Alison, in
the minds of many watchers, came when she pushed the boundary from “game” lie to
“malicious” lie. She attempted to malign another HG (Jack) and did so without
remorse or consequence of her actions. Prior to this, she was observed as
playing a good game.
This “turning point” has focused greater attention
on Ali’s behavior and the fine line between playing the game and being
malevolent, has caused many observers to subsequently question her every action.
If she shows no regret for such a deed or act, then some conclude that ALL her
thoughts, deeds and actions are malevolent, and so the hatred grows. Other
observers have deemed Ali’s faux pas as an acceptable ploy, or are at least able
to forgive her and therefore move their own boundaries of acceptable behavior
in the game.
Under abnormal circumstances and within the context of the
game, we have also witnessed bragging, flirting, snide remarks, aggression, foul
language, mild psychotic behavior, hypocrisy, name calling, back stabbing and
many other human failings, each of which we also accept “to a certain degree” of
people in our daily lives. In the goldfish bowl environment of the Big Brother
house, all of these traits are not only eminently visible but are highly
magnified.
I am of the school that believes that an extended period
under scrutiny (every psychologists dream!) does actually expose the real and
true human traits of an individual. Where these failings cross our own personal
moral standards, we determine our hatred or liking of a particular person. Some
houseguests portray their “failings”, remembering that no human being is
perfect, in varying degrees of frequency and repetitiveness. Robert is a prime
example in his repetitive expressions of hatred of women.
To argue that
Alison is a “bad” person or a “good” person, implies a back and white comparison
of her “performance” against our own individually carved personal morals.
Obviously we will never ALL agree when such a dovetailing exercise takes place.
For those who detest Ali, all I can say is that your morals and
standards of acceptable behavior are less flexible than those who would support
her.
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