Tuesday, April 14, 2009

civilized dissent

The British have many easily recognizable traits. Kate Fox's brilliant anthropological study Watching the English details many of them and is essential reading for anyone moving here. The country would make much less sense to me otherwise. How, for example, do you explain the long lines that frequently self-assemble in front of ATMs?

It has nothing to do with the scarcity of these machines but rather with the fondness of the English for cuing. Seeing a few people waiting at an ATM reminds them that they need money and they'll happily join the growing line. They probably withdraw only 10 pounds so they can enjoy the experience again soon, but that's just my guess.

Another fine example of Britishness is civility in argument. I frequently listen to BBC Radio 4, a station that does talk, news, opinion and features, and is a prime example of the high culture of debate. A show that exemplifies all that's good about arguing is Any Questions?, which pits four panelists from across the political and religious spectrum against questions put forward by the (live?) audience. The panelists inevitably disagree on most topics, and in no uncertain terms. But they do so with good humor and in mutual respect. If there's ranting, it's always good-natured; there are laughs and in the end everyone walks away satisfied for the most part.

Another show I only discovered tonight, the appropriately named Heresy. Here, three panelists "use their wit and wisdom to argue against narrow-minded thinking", as the show's homepage claims. Sounds like a fine mission to me. Tonight, when I heard the show for the first time, the big questions was whether religious believers, visitors to fortune tellers or those trying to make contact with the dead are more gullible. Hearing a priest and an avowed atheist battle it out only half-jocularly was hilarious. Why can't all religious discussions be led in such a joyous way? The world would be a much better place.

After the show I started to wonder, though. Where else do you have a publicly funded radio show whose goal it is to commit heresy? I find this very refreshing. And before you bewail the fact that the U.K. is doomed, full of lost souls and destined for hell, consider that the same station also broadcasts Sunday worship every week and the the prayer for the day. Something for everyone, just like public radio should be, embracing controversy and being disdainful of particular interest groups all the while holding the audience to the highest regard.


In contrast to TV shows, radio shows on the iPlayer are available for listening worldwide. A treasure trove indeed.

1 comment:

Sean said...

Civilized and intelligent, discussion!! American media could use some of the that!!