4a Opinion Tuesday, January 23, 2001 for comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com Perspective Sensationalist television spurs irresponsibility Our culture is in trouble. Fox's Temptation Island is proof of that. If you haven't heard, four couples at crossroads in their relationships go to an island full of half-naked singles to see if they are really meant to be. These stories are filmed for our viewing pleasure. This show comes after the Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? fiasco, when Fox promised it would never air another show that was "exploitative and reeks of desperation or anything that's merely out for ratings." So how is Fox trying to explain this one? Apparently the show "is important for the exploration of the strength of relationships." I heard simple communication is good for the strength of a relationship, but that won't get ratings. It doesn't matter that they are trying to disguise the show with fancy sheep's clothing; it's a wolf waiting to devour these couples' dignity and integrity. As for reality, all people on the show are `STD-free. They were tested. Fox wanted to make sure it was an authentic island, full of hot singles — you know, those islands where no one transmits diseases. Matt Cox columnist opinion@kansan.com How Practices for paved the way for safer sex. Gone not only is integrity and dignity, but also responsibility. Wow, that's so real. Temptation Island embodies our pitiful culture. We're only a few neurotic scriptwriters away from an actual Truman Show. But when our version hits, we'll be so desensitized that the networks will unanimously pass the idea. Why? Because network executives govern our morality. We blankly stare at our TVs night after night, accepting whatever moral code they present. Ironically, as we university students try to gain knowledge and improve society, we are mindless lemmings who love to shout open-mindedness on campus. Yet we let Hollywood think for us. In the past 10 years, advertising agencies and the big networks have shifted their target audience from the 27-32 age group to the 14-21 group. But trying to please a less mature audience, with a shorter attention span, means producing a product that is the same: immature and sensational. So it's no surprise that we've seen the decay of quality television as executives target a younger audience. The bigger problem is our mindset. The more we involve ourselves in reality TV, the more we subconciously declare that we don't want our own life — we want what's on TV. But that televised substitute is short-lived and eventually needs a replacement. That's why MTV's *The Real World* was OK for a while, but then we needed Survivor. Now that the Survivor part of our attention span has been captured, we need something even more edgy. We need more extreme shows because we don't know how to be satisfied. It's like alcoholism. We're all drunk with sensationalism and we need to get out. Most of you thinking that my diagnosis is a bunch of cran are most likely too far gone. I'm not really upset that Tempation Island is a real show; I'm disgusted. The arrival of a show like this isn't surprising, given the increased cultural trend of "redefining" everything from God to morality. This 1990s trend redefined moral codes to fit various lifestyles, eliminating conviction and responsibility in the process. We want the sex but not the diseases. We want success but not the invasion of privacy. We want the lifestyle but not the bills. Sooner or later you'll face the consequences of your actions, physical or mental. Realize this now. "What's good for you may not be good for me, and that's fine," some say. I refuse to accept that. There are absolutes. We just find new and exciting ways to redefine them to fit selfish ambitions and desires. It's sad when we humans, mistake-ridden earthlings, hold ourselves up as the standard for making decisions. I'm not trying to change your mind; I'm just trying to open it, along with your eyes. HOUSING ORDINANCES, RESIDENCE HALL PRICE HIKES, NAISMITH HALL THEFTS... Cox is a Lawrence senior in journalism. Bruno Pieroni/KANSAN HELLO, MOM? YEAH, IT'S ME... ABOUT MY OLD BEDROOM; IT'S STILL LIKE I LEFT IT, RIGHT? ... YEAH, I MIGHT BE NEEDING IT THIS YEAR... By the Numbers 14 Percent of full professors at KU who are female. 41 Percent of assistant professors at KU who are female. Percent of full professors at KU who are White. Percent of assistant professors at KU who are White. 79 55. 4 Percent of nonfaculty staff at KU who are female. 29 Percent of administrators at KU who are female. Source: Office of Institutional Research and Planning Perspective Dishonor could cloud some honor societies Should you join every honor society you can? No. Read on to avoid wasting money on dishonorable "honor societies." Each semester, millions of dollars are spent nationwide by students paying to join such organizations. While dressing up a resume is certainly a laudable goal, there is an objective way to measure the value of an honor society and whether to join. First, ask why you are joining. There are two common reasons: reputation and involvement. Harnessing the prestige of an honor society reputation is a reason to join. However, not all of them are worthy in this respect — the name alone is not worth the $60 membership fee — especially when the eligibility requirements are unclear or worse yet, overly inclusive so that anyone with a pulse and a middling GPA can join. Some honor societies will sell your name to marketing companies or include you in "special" offers for credit cards, emblazoned society clothing (Does anyone actually wear this stuff in public?) and other useless status symbols. This is particularly dishonorable because the new member is essentially paying to be targeted by product peddlers and sweatshirt solicitors. Scott Kaiser columnist opinion@xansan.com If you're paying for the reputation, it should be worth the membership fee. So look for eligibility requirements that go beyond GPA. After all, if membership depends solely on GPA, then why not just dut your GPA on your resume? Consider Golden Key's eligibility requirements. To join Golden Key, you must be a KU junior or senior, in the top 15 percent of your class (which is a GPA of 3.3) and a full- or part-time KU student. Clearly, this is nothing more than a GPA-based honor society for juniors and seniors. You won't impress anyone who knows the eligibility requirements any more than if you just stated your GPA. All you are saying is, "Hey, I got at least a 3.3 and I spent $60." Inserting Golden Key into your resume is redundant, and thus a waste of money and paper space. But not everything is about dressing up But not everything is about dressing up a resume. The fulfillment we get from contributing our time to activities we find valuable is another good reason to join an honor society. Golden Key, for example, is honorable if you're looking for lectures on career development and social interaction with other members. Here, the issue is whether the experience gained through involvement is exclusive to the organization. For example, joining an honor society because it offers an opportunity to do community service is not a good reason to join because it is not exclusive to that society. Your $60 membership fee could be better applied as a direct donation to a charity, and not to some black hole called "national chapter dues." Or you could just volunteer without joining the honor society at all. How do you recognize an honorable honor society? A good honor society offers a tangible reputation and unique experiences. Anything less is a reason to save your money and prevent dishonoring yourself. Kaiser is an Overland Park first-year law student. Editorial Dog park a welcome addition The large space near Clinton Lake would complement South Park. Last week, the Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 in favor of letting the Lawrence Parks and Recreation proceed with their plans of opening a new dog park near Clinton Lake State Park. This park is a great idea to accommodate the residents of Lawrence who quickly are running out of areas to let their dogs run free. At one time South Park, off Massachusetts Street, was a place where residents could let their dogs run, but Lawrence citizens voiced concerns about the condition of the park. Residents were concerned with the dogs tearing up the grass and defecating all over the park without it being cleaned up. Moreover, South Park has been seen as somewhat of a monument in the city of Lawrence, and people want to conserve it. In response, the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Commission drafted plans to allocate 30 to 40 acres of land including bathroom areas and parking lots to a new dog park. The new park is located north of the Clinton Lake spillway. This park is exactly what this city needs to accommodate the residents who have dogs and want to let them run free of their leashes. Some residents are still concerned about the fact that the land was allocated to this group and the potential dog feces mess. Overall, however, this park will benefit many of the residents of Lawrence as well as their dogs. Another positive aspect of this project is its relatively low cost. There will be some rules drawn up for the park that will include registering your dog, keeping it out of fights, and cleaning up after it. These rules will help keep the area nice and clean. This dog park will be another great addition to our city for years to come. Brett Norman for the editorial board Free for all callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kansas reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Standeren statements will not be printed. - I want to be a bartender. Screw cosmetology school. - Is it just me, or is that Andy thing in the Domino's commercials really creepy? 图 I am the mole. --- Wouldn't it be funny if Charlie never found the golden wrapper, and the rest of the movie was him just being poor? I'd like to know why it's OK for people to call the Free for All and make fun of all the White boys on campus who wear short-sleeved shirts on campus, but it would be racist to make fun of the Black boys on campus who wear short-sleeved shirts? - So whose good idea was it to have Elizabeth Taylor on the Golden Globes? - - So is it possible to have diarrhea all day? The best of the inauguration for me was when George W.'s daughter's boo popped out on national TV. That was dope. 图 I'm getting tired of Roy Williams never coming to the other student section throwing T-shirts. - 图 I think everyone should quit bad-mouthing Chenowith. - Why is it that the one person who has the power to make you feel wonderful also has the power to break your heart? We White boys are so warm because we're actually aliens from another planet, and we stay warm in your thermal skin suits. We're here to rid your world of ignorance, starting with you. B People who think money is the root of all evil probably don't have any. If abortion is legal, why did Rae Carruth get sentenced to prison for killing an unborn child with a foreign object? Isn't that abortion? How to submit letters and guest columns Letters: Should be double-spaced typed and fewer than 200 words. Letters must include the author's signature, name, address and telephone number plus class and hometown if a University student. Faculty or staff must identify their positions. Guest columns: Should be double- spaced typed with fewer than 700 words. The writer must be willing to be photo- graphed for the column to run. All letters and guest columns should be e-mailed to opinion@kansan.com or submitted to the Kansan newsroom, 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall. The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length or reject all submissions. For any questions, call Chris Borniger or Nathan Wills at 864-4924. 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