COMMENT

1.6 million Australians tuned in to watch the moral train wreck that is Married At First Sight last night. Taking the prize TV spot over Seven News, Nine News, and 60 Minutes (essentially anything that doesn’t turn the brain to mush), MAFS delivered drama to Australian homes in galactic proportions.

The final commitment ceremony saw Jessika trade in one husband for another, as the relationship experts (re: hosts) feigned a debate about whether to let her and Dan stay in the ‘experiment’ (re: bogan banquet) or not.

I imagine the decision was made after a producer stepped in to deliver stats on Jessika’s trending hashtags on social media, while another said Dan rated high amongst women in his age demographic.

You know that saying, ‘go throw shit at the wall and see what sticks’?. That’s quite possibly what happens in the MAFS writers’ rooms. Producers and editors storyboard dramatic situations as they drink coffee by the litre and chuckle over possible fall-outs between couples.

But what if conversations of shock and laughter in the office kitchen and in online group chats aren’t the only consequence of MAFS? What if it’s changing the way people view relationships and even marriage itself?

Life imitates art

If this philosophy is correct (where an event or way of thinking in the real world is inspired by a creative work), and if indeed MAFS can be considered a creative work, then Gen Zers are doomed.

The Church of MAFS was built on the foundation that drama = airtime. Those who religiously watch the show – and even those who don’t – will know the show was meant to entertain.

Granted, it’s not a documentary-style display of true human behaviour, the producers and editors made sure of that when they shunned the LGBTQ+ community. But whether we like it or not, it is a real-life experiment with a melting-pot of human reactions and situations.

It’s unfortunate then, that the high-rating episodes of last year with Dean and Davina’s affair informed the main focus of the current season.

In just 33 episodes, there have been countless instances of infidelity; from Sam and Ines’ drama-fuelled flirting and adultery, to Jessika and Dan’s lengthy affair. What message does this subconsciously send to the incoming generations who were only just recently told they all have a right to marry?

Gen Zers are an incredible bunch. They’re future-focused, they’re natural entrepreneurs, and they have global aspirations. They’re also human.

Their brilliant minds might be telling them one thing – that MAFS is a heavily-produced hogwash of a show – but their eyes are receiving another message, over, and over, and over.

What if the TV shows they watch could change their thinking entirely to a point where they can’t distinguish truth from untruth? If they consistently watch something that is geared toward a certain thinking pattern, would they lose their own initial perspective?

An Iowa State University study found that students who stare at a screen for more than two hours per day are twice as likely to be diagnosed with attention problems. Perhaps Jessika, Dan, Ines and Sam watched too much television as teenagers?

If we don’t have trust, we have nothing

Right now, viewers are up in arms over last night’s MAFS episode. Some say the show is making a “joke” of marriage and relationships, and others are calling for a mass boycott. The hastag #boycottmafs is trending on Twitter.

Congrats channel 9, I won’t be watching #MAFS anymore that’s for sure. Supporting that deceptive behaviour is disgusting. ADIOS 👏🏻 — Alicia (@leeshkate) March 24, 2019

BOYCOTT BOYCOTT BOYCOTT, Nine lost my vote i am official boycotting all sponsors and the shows on nine due to the acceptance of validating cheating in marriage, and the psychologists are crazier than the people they help. Disgusting. #BoycottMAFS — TheChamps (@TheChamps14) March 24, 2019

These viewers are right. When so-called experts let cheating partners remain on the show / in the public eye, it could be seen as a move to validate their behaviour. It sends a much bigger, wider message however.

The portrayal of love on reality TV, where participants are usually sequestered in inner-city hotel rooms or mansions, is completely farce. Yet, if we watch enough of it, the behaviour becomes normalised. Their actions then mirrored.

In last night’s episode, Jessika asked the ‘experts’ if she and Dan could remain on the show to really see whether they could ‘make it’ in the real world. You see, Jessika is from Perth and Dan is from the Gold Coast, and an all-expenses paid week in a hotel room in Sydney is really their best shot at true love…

To me, the message to viewers is clear: Not only can you just ditch your partner without telling them, only to make a move on someone else’s, it’s entirely normal. Yes, sometimes we don’t get it right the first time, or even the second or third; but mutual respect should be a given.

How about we stop normalising drama and toxic behaviour and show the real work which must be done to maintain a happy marriage? Hm?