Full Version: Thirty Days
Morgan Spurlock, the man behind the film Supersize Me, has come up with a sort of new reality show on the FX Network, called 30 Days.
It's a fascinating premise, and one I thought might be of interest to ADer's. Spurlock, and some willing volunteers, are spending thirty days in a variety of situations designed to make you think about what you would do, and how you would live, given certain circumstances. Kind of like a "walk a mile in my shoes" kind of thing. Along the way, he documents all the trials and tribulations of the situation, both through personal experience, and interviews of people in similar circumstance. Here's a review of some of what the series will entail, and how it's being received so far:
The question for debate, I suppose, is this - What would you be willing to do for 30 or 60 days that might very well make you uncomfortable, but might also give you some insight to a way of life that you may have unrealistic stereotypes about?
It's a fascinating premise, and one I thought might be of interest to ADer's. Spurlock, and some willing volunteers, are spending thirty days in a variety of situations designed to make you think about what you would do, and how you would live, given certain circumstances. Kind of like a "walk a mile in my shoes" kind of thing. Along the way, he documents all the trials and tribulations of the situation, both through personal experience, and interviews of people in similar circumstance. Here's a review of some of what the series will entail, and how it's being received so far:
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Spurlock begins by turning the camera on himself and fiancee Alexandra Jamieson, who take on the stern test of trying to survive with minimum-wage jobs for a month in Columbus, Ohio. They subsist in an ant-riddled hovel, share a single bus pass, endure medical crises made worse by their poverty and take to sniping at each other. The point: This is no way to live. But in the land of plenty, this is the fate of too many who suffer on an hourly minimum that hasn't been raised since 1997.
A second episode follows a 34-year-old former high school athlete named Scott Bridges who has grown flabby and hopes to arrest the aging process by changing his diet, exercising and embracing a regimen of human growth hormones, testosterone and an array of supplements. His wife isn't real wild about his workouts with a curvy trainer, and the whole thing sparks perpetual friction. While Bridges loses weight and feels better, he suffers liver problems, hormonal rage and a plummeting sperm count, forcing him to drop out in Week 3. The third segment supplied for review follows David Stacy, a 33-year-old Christian from Charleston, W.Va., as he goes to live with a Pakistani-American family -- dressing like them, thinking like them and even growing a beard. That they invariably find little common ground is nothing if not realistic.
A second episode follows a 34-year-old former high school athlete named Scott Bridges who has grown flabby and hopes to arrest the aging process by changing his diet, exercising and embracing a regimen of human growth hormones, testosterone and an array of supplements. His wife isn't real wild about his workouts with a curvy trainer, and the whole thing sparks perpetual friction. While Bridges loses weight and feels better, he suffers liver problems, hormonal rage and a plummeting sperm count, forcing him to drop out in Week 3. The third segment supplied for review follows David Stacy, a 33-year-old Christian from Charleston, W.Va., as he goes to live with a Pakistani-American family -- dressing like them, thinking like them and even growing a beard. That they invariably find little common ground is nothing if not realistic.
The question for debate, I suppose, is this - What would you be willing to do for 30 or 60 days that might very well make you uncomfortable, but might also give you some insight to a way of life that you may have unrealistic stereotypes about?
QUOTE(NiteGuy @ Jun 16 2005, 10:16 AM)
The question for debate, I suppose, is this - What would you be willing to do for 30 or 60 days that might very well make you uncomfortable, but might also give you some insight to a way of life that you may have unrealistic stereotypes about?
Honestly...I would probably do just about anything that didn't involve weird/gross things (something with an actual 'lesson' to be learned) or anything hate-related (like, I wouldn't go live with a KKK family for 30-60 days...they could come hang out with me and learn a thing or two, but I wouldn't voluntarily go into that sort of environment).
I think the world would be a MUCH better place if people could truly experience life from another perspective. It's easy to make assumptions based on what you THINK...but until you experience something yourself, there's no way to know what it's really like for others.
The question for debate, I suppose, is this - What would you be willing to do for 30 or 60 days that might very well make you uncomfortable, but might also give you some insight to a way of life that you may have unrealistic stereotypes about?
I guess I could step into some big-shot CEO's shoes, get paid an exhorbitant amount of money, rob my employees' pension plan, get some insider stock tips, get busted by the SEC, take a multi-million dollar severance package, and be on my merry way back to real life. Maybe then I could have more "sympathy" for those poor, poor CEO's who whine so much about how badly they've been treated.
Seriously, though. I have worked minimum wage jobs, I've had some pretty nasty knocks, but I've never had children to think of during those dark times. I guess if I had to make sure a couple of kids were fed, clothed and educated while experiencing job upheavals and not having a "dad" around would be an eye-opener.
I guess I could step into some big-shot CEO's shoes, get paid an exhorbitant amount of money, rob my employees' pension plan, get some insider stock tips, get busted by the SEC, take a multi-million dollar severance package, and be on my merry way back to real life. Maybe then I could have more "sympathy" for those poor, poor CEO's who whine so much about how badly they've been treated. Seriously, though. I have worked minimum wage jobs, I've had some pretty nasty knocks, but I've never had children to think of during those dark times. I guess if I had to make sure a couple of kids were fed, clothed and educated while experiencing job upheavals and not having a "dad" around would be an eye-opener.
QUOTE(NiteGuy @ Jun 16 2005, 10:16 AM)
The question for debate, I suppose, is this - What would you be willing to do for 30 or 60 days that might very well make you uncomfortable, but might also give you some insight to a way of life that you may have unrealistic stereotypes about?
CEO of a major corporation. I've held minimum wage (and no wage jobs) and seen the underside of the US but have only remotely seen the top end which has been endlessly vilified by many in this forum and within the media elite.
I'd like to see the pressures and the forces that they deal with on a daily basis so I could appreciate the skill set that they had to acquire in order to succeed at that level.
Our culture certainly romanticizes the under-achievers while it routinely belittles the achievers in too many instances.
I'd like to learn more about what makes the "best and brightest" tick and putting myself in their shoes for 30-60 days would certainly take me out of my comfort zone, but be an enlightening experience as well.
I would love to see anyone who believe "laziness, corruption, or culture" is the cause of African poverty to live as a poor African for thirty days.
That would be hilarious.
For me?
How about thirty days as a school teacher at a poorly performing school. I often suspect that simple incompetence is in play when most children in a class don't learn.
...but I could be wrong.
That would be hilarious.
For me?
How about thirty days as a school teacher at a poorly performing school. I often suspect that simple incompetence is in play when most children in a class don't learn.
...but I could be wrong.
QUOTE(DaffyGrl @ Jun 16 2005, 10:28 AM)
I guess I could step into some big-shot CEO's shoes, get paid an exhorbitant amount of money, rob my employees' pension plan, get some insider stock tips, get busted by the SEC, take a multi-million dollar severance package, and be on my merry way back to real life. Maybe then I could have more "sympathy" for those poor, poor CEO's who whine so much about how badly they've been treated. Come on Daffy... you know that there are thousands of completely honest CEO's that work 60 hour weeks and built their success one brick at a time. There is a large amount of American affluence that really did come from hard work!!!.
... but anyway... no rhetorical politics here...
What I'd really like to do is to spend 30 days as an illegal immigrant in the US. These people are genuinely attempting to better their situation and come to the greatest nation in the world, only for the citizens of the "promised land" to treat them as if the weren't human. Living in Dallas I see how people look at Mexicans and the way they get spoken to by natural born citizens. I think it's an experience that we all could learn some humanity from...
QUOTE
Come on Daffy... you know that there are thousands of completely honest CEO's that work 60 hour weeks and built their success one brick at a time. There is a large amount of American affluence that really did come from hard work!!!.
Did I say there weren't? Show me where I said there weren't any hard-working CEO's, although the only one that comes to my mind is James Sinegal, the CEO of CostCo, who says "doing the right thing is good business", works in a regular office, takes a modest salary (his 6-year earnings don't even top 2 million, according to Forbes), and has the savvy to succeed in a Wal-Mart world.
Man, maybe there's a store out there where people can buy a sense of humor......
QUOTE(DaffyGrl @ Jun 16 2005, 02:03 PM)
QUOTE
Come on Daffy... you know that there are thousands of completely honest CEO's that work 60 hour weeks and built their success one brick at a time. There is a large amount of American affluence that really did come from hard work!!!.
Did I say there weren't? Show me where I said there weren't any hard-working CEO's, although the only one that comes to my mind is James Sinegal, the CEO of CostCo, who says "doing the right thing is good business", works in a regular office, takes a modest salary (his 6-year earnings don't even top 2 million, according to Forbes), and has the savvy to succeed in a Wal-Mart world.
Man, maybe there's a store out there where people can buy a sense of humor......
I think there is, but only republicans would be able to afford to buy anything because we're the only ones with JOBS!!!
And don't say that all republicans aren't funny, because one of the funniest people in America is a conservative... CARLOS MENCIA
"the only one that comes to my mind is James Sinegal..."
Oh, that's really funny daffy. Really funny... if you do have a job, please keep it ma'am as I doubt you're going to be hitting the Improv circuit with that one!
Still pulling anti-establishment punches... man o man... isn't this a casual conversation thread?
Although this is casual conversation, posts must be constructive. Please stop bickering and derailing this thread and address the topic.
Great topic. I have done the minimum wage thing, but I was living with my parents. I'd love to try it independently. I'd do the supersize thing, the drunk thing, ...I'm writing to get on the show right now! Morgan Spurlock is hilarious. I wish that I received FX now so that I could see this.
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