Appropriate Mourning

Chris Farmer RSS / 21.11.2009. u 09:55

Where does the line get drawn?

The passing of Patriarch Pavle, for whom all the respect paid to his memory was and is well deserved, allowed for some rather questionable decisions on the side of the government and media in Serbia.

The government suggested people stay home from work and asked media to restrict itself to "appropriate" content during the declared official days of mourning. This, by itself, seems reasonable. Some channels on television did not transmit at all and replaced their programs with a blackened screen saying that it was because of the mourning period. Some announced changes in the programming schedule for the same reason.

Others however, especially those controlled by the SBB Cable Monopolists, seem to have hired a crew of coin-flippers to make their decisions on Appropriateness. Moreover, instead of warning the public, they just took the censored channels off the air, leading many of us to fiddle for some time with the television's controls until we cottoned on. Personally, I blamed my five-year old son for playing with the remote control when I could not find the channels.

I have since apologized.

I looked for patterns in the choices. Why Fox Life, for example, and not Fox Crime? Is it because situation comedies are Bad and programs sympathizing with serial killers and the mafia are Good? Why Croatian television and not Bosnian? Is it because many Croats are Catholics and might not choose to turn off the TV themselves - so SBB does it for them?

In all, SBB cancelled ten channels - music channels VH1, MTV, and Melos; regional channels HRT1 and 2 and OBN; and some others, including Fox Life, Atlas, DM Sat, and Fashion TV. Who was making these decisions?

It occurs to me that true mourning is spontaneous. The Republic of Serbia "suggested" that companies give their employees a paid day off on Thursday, the day of the Patriarch's funeral. It was stipulated that the day be "paid." If anyone had come to me to ask for the day off out of respect for the mourning period, I am quite sure we would have given it. Nor would we have docked them the day's pay for doing it. But I am fairly certain of the fact that this would be the company's decision. The state has no business suggesting it to us. Many will mistake a suggestion for an instruction.

The government, as a major employer in Serbia, gave its people a free day - and this is even less appropriate than a private company. After all, the government is put in place (theoretically) by the voters of Serbia, not all of whom are Serbian Orthodox. It feels divisive, instantly making camps of Us and Them. "Us" comprise a clear majority in this fairly homogenous state - in 2002, it was estimated by the Statistics Bureau that some 84% of the population was Serbian Orthodox. But "Them," in which I also find myself along with Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims, Protestants, and every other non-Orthodox resident, still live here and represent about half a million people. Not counting Kosovo because that would bump it up to around 2.5 million people.

Us and Them.

It does not mean we should not join the mourning, but no one really has a choice in it either. Just like we did not have the choice to switch off the TV if we wanted to observe it. Being allowed the freedom to turn it off gives people the chance to show genuine respect, but deciding for people is another story altogether. In the meantime, I have been told that porn and violence were readily available on TV during the mourning period anyway. The coin-flipping strategy seems to have left a few gaps.

Heads I win, Tails you lose.

Atačmenti



Komentari (22)

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smaug smaug 11:13 21.11.2009

Appropriate moaning -

I suggest you survive those horrific days in Sebia without all the high quality TV programmes the way I survive Christmas days in Western Europe.
Considering that I am neither Catholic nor religious (and therefore fall under less than 15% of total population here) I am forced to wach The Sound Of Music (every day, twice a day), Casablanca (before every meal) and Miracle on 34th Street (34 hours a day). And all this goes on and on and on.... for more than three days. On every TV channel! And it happens annually! So no choice at all.
Not to mention that no porn or violence or (is this too much to ask for?) violent porn are available on any TV channels during this holy season!
So my (only) options (I dont believe in switching the telly off - that would be a blasphemy) are - enjoy (Christmas season) sober or drunk. I go for the second and at the same time recommend the same while (mourning) in Serbia.
Chris Farmer Chris Farmer 11:35 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

The difference here is again in choice. If the programming is not to your liking, you can turn it off of your own free will. I am talking about when programming is turned off for you in anticipation of its being inappropriate and the questionable criteria of the decision.
Dejan I. Dejan I. 12:58 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

All depends what kind of programs do you prefer? Although I’ve never lived abroad I’ve watched many of the western TV channels on my cable TV. My favorite ones: National Geographic, History, Discovery channel, Reality ... have almost same programs for Christmas like any other day of the year. Adult TV channels are commercial so I don’t believe that they stopping to broadcast during Christmas. And for example I don’t have any adult channel on my cable TV. Adult TV channels on Subotica KDS cable monopolist are forbidden! Why only in Subotica – it’s a good question!
Anonimni Pojedinac Anonimni Pojedinac 14:53 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

Chris Farmer
The difference here is again in choice. If the programming is not to your liking, you can turn it off of your own free will. I am talking about when programming is turned off for you in anticipation of its being inappropriate and the questionable criteria of the decision.


Or we can talk when Jingle Bells is being turned on or so to say played ad nauseam for you in every f***ing mall, storee, coffeeshop, bookstore, TV and radio channel, and so on, thirty days before Christmas. Or about how beautifully suited the Christmas break is for all those who celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December, while we who do not, cannot find a normal store working during that day and are forced not to work, not to be able to go shopping, not to be able to use the libraries etc. Where is the freedom of choice there?
Oh, and by the way, can you please tell your son that we, the Orthodox Serbs, are very sorry that you accused him for breaking the remote? OK, thanks.
Chris Farmer Chris Farmer 16:51 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

Minus the hysterics, I agree.

But unless you actually are the one at SBB who made the programming decision, I cannot accept your apology on behalf of the Orthodox Serbs - you do not stand accused.
mikimedic mikimedic 20:36 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

I agree.

Anonimni Pojedinac Anonimni Pojedinac 22:32 21.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

Chris Farmer
Minus the hysterics, I agree.



I thought I made a comment here, but apparently it's been errased.
Anyhow, to answer the question: the line should be drawn where the fence should stand, at the end of one's yard. Especially when it is not clean.
Igor_Jaramaz Igor_Jaramaz 22:51 25.11.2009

Re: Appropriate moaning -

Yeah, I was just thinking of Jingle Bells in Shopping malls, stores and sometimes even streets, not 30 but 55 days prior to Christmas.

The whole US economy is divided in holiday-cycles - Christmas&NewYears, Valentine's, St-Pats, Easter, Mother&Father's days (something had to be made up to gap the long gap), then Labo(u)r Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween. Christmas and New Years accounts for almost 50% in retail sales, so yeah, the 55 day ad nauseam torture is an inalienable part of North American culture.

I am sorry you had to stand the three day mourning and lack of substandard 90's non-syndicated sitcom reruns. It is a part of Serbian culture that a in days of mourning no music be played. Neighbours observe this as well, in solidarity and out of respect for the human being that has passed. I think that Patriarch Pavle was an extraordinary person (the crowd trying to pay their last respects says it all) whose death warranted this extraordinary measure whose repetition will probably never be come to be. Thank you for baring with our wierd customs
necudavamkazem necudavamkazem 14:03 21.11.2009

Be strong!

I deeply believe that you will survive.
Sure, it would be difficult without such a great shows like My Sweet 16, Muzički program & SMS chat or some other highly educational shows.
But I believe in you... you are a strong one!
Also, in name of all us, I have to say we are sorry that our patriarch took a wrong time for dying, if we would just known that you would like to watch some TV these days, we would ask him to die some other time.





pixelchick pixelchick 05:44 22.11.2009

Re: Be strong!

necudavamkazem
Also, in name of all us, I have to say we are sorry that our patriarch took a wrong time for dying, if we would just known that you would like to watch some TV these days, we would ask him to die some other time.

I'm starting to seriously doubt that repeating the same thing several hundred times over the range of five days would make a simple sentence sink in, but what the hell, let's give it another shot:
it's not the point in refraining from sitcoms or mtv, it's a matter of freedom and choice.

But, if you prefer hysterics and constructing deeply pathetic statements (like the one I quoted), then suit yourself...
necudavamkazem necudavamkazem 06:43 22.11.2009

Re: Be strong!

pixelchick
it's a matter of freedom and choice.

Overrated...



We all need to make compromises
Democracy wins again! Majority rules!


Btw, this has nothing to do with religion. I am agnostic... and support this action. It's called respect.
pixelchick pixelchick 07:18 22.11.2009

Re: Be strong!

necudavamkazem
pixelchick
it's a matter of freedom and choice.

Overrated...

Freedom to choose is overrated?
Wow, is that from new "Wisdoms of Kim Jong Il" book? I've heard it's out, it must make a swell reading!
Democracy wins again! Majority rules!

What you speak of, my dear, is most certainly not called democracy.

Re: Be strong!

we are talking here about no freedom of choice vs illusion of freedom of choice.
we are also talking about rules and regulations vs. private random decision making.
I would quite like to know what kind of financial consequences these decisions are going to have. for the companies and consumers. does anybody know? in the western world it would be paramount. serbia is so annoying because you can never be so sure.
Bili Piton Bili Piton 20:02 21.11.2009

The thing is...



Chris, that you are actually rather late in putting this topic up, it's been thoroughly chewed over and, dare I say digested already in our blogosphere and a hell of a lot of dissatisfaction similar to yours came right out in the wash. That's one thing to bear in mind. The second is - when we, the Serbs, argue amongst ourselves on any subject, we hit hard and opinions are often sharply divided. However, if someone who is perceived to be an outsider (even though they are living and working in our midst) raises a legitimate issue, the one that would have under regular circumstances met with understanding and even agreement by a great deal of other readers/bloggers, chances are that we are all - or most of us - going to instinctively turn very defensive all of a sudden, and that is precisely what you are encountering presently on this page. it is a fairly common syndrome (it's been happening occasionally on the UK in Serbia blog too) and I would argue that it isn't at all exclusive to the Serbs. I'm not at all surprised that all you are getting from your readers is general cynicism and jaded prescriptions such as "go sort out your own backyard first". It's typical, if perhaps not justified.

The points you've made are all valid points. it's just that you were rather late to put them across, that's all, we are all probably a bit worn out with all the events of the past week or so.
srdjan.pajic srdjan.pajic 21:38 21.11.2009

Re: The thing is...

I'm not at all surprised that all you are getting from your readers is general cynicism and jaded prescriptions such as "go sort out your own backyard first". It's typical, if perhaps not justified.


And yet, we are all the Word Champions in criticizing others backyards.

Preporuka Biliju, with the appropriate clip (thanks God I don't have a TV!):

AlexDunja AlexDunja 21:49 21.11.2009

Re: The thing is...

And yet, we are all the Word Champions in criticizing others backyards.


for bili, and you!
mikimedic mikimedic 22:47 21.11.2009

Re: The thing is...

And yet, we are all the Word Champions in criticizing others backyards.


hhhm, srdjan, isn't it a tough competion with your new homeland?

and i am deeply sorry to spoil such a deep spiritual unity that prevails on this blog...
blogovatelj blogovatelj 23:16 21.11.2009

Re: The thing is...

And yet, we are all the Word Champions in criticizing others backyards


We are the champions in criticizing our own backyard too
B92's blogspace is an example of that.
What I think is, if I criticize my own yard, why wouldn't I criticize others yards as well.
Am I right?
stijak92 stijak92 04:30 22.11.2009

Censorship did make a lot of people angry

First - there are not 85% Orthodox Christians here. Statistics suppose everybody who is Serb is Orthodox - which is not true. There are lot of people like me who are atheists and agnostics.

Also - lot of believers were also furious about SBB censorship - there is a topic on SBB forum with 35 pages - http://forum.sbb.co.yu/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17535&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
Chris Farmer Chris Farmer 14:40 23.11.2009

Re: Censorship did make a lot of people angry

As Bili Piton pointed out, I did bring this topic up late but I am glad it sparked some discussion all the same.

The other point about the self-censorship which I neglected to mention was whether anyone at SBB actually informed MTV and the rest that their programs were being unplugged (as it were) for a few days. I imagine more than one advertiser could have been a little put out about it.

Also, I fully agree about the statistic of 85%. Not only is the source seven years out of date, but I am sure it was not a very accurate reflection even then.

Thanks.
Igor_Jaramaz Igor_Jaramaz 23:07 25.11.2009

Re: Censorship did make a lot of people angry

stijak92
First - there are not 85% Orthodox Christians here.

The most reliable source, the census, says so. What source can you offer?

Statistics suppose everybody who is Serb is Orthodox - which is not true.

Nonsense, you should not discuss matters which you barely grasp.

The 2002 census category for religion was, just like in 1991, based on the subjective criteria. People were asked separately about ethnicity and religion. There was 110,000 Serbs who did not declare themselves Orthodox Christians.

Верска структура припадника српског народа у Републици Србији
(према резултатима пописа у Републици Србији, 2002)
Православци 6.052.391 97,41 %
Протестанти 5.040 0,08 %
Римокатолици 4.328 0,07 %
Муслимани 907 0,01 %
Јудаисти 34 0,0005 %
Оријентални култови 193 0,003 %
Атеисти 21.190 0,34 %
Друге вероисповести 12.409 0,20 %
Неизјашњени 65.045 1,05 %
Непознато 51.188 0,82 %
УКУПНО 6.212.838 100 %


[url=http://www.mv.gov.rs/cir/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&Itemid=74][/url]

Igor_Jaramaz Igor_Jaramaz 23:10 25.11.2009

Re: Censorship did make a lot of people angry

Also, I fully agree about the statistic of 85%. Not only is the source seven years out of date, but I am sure it was not a very accurate reflection even then.

The next census is schedulled for 2011 in accordance with international statistical standards requiring a census once every 10 years.

I assure you that the results were and still are an accurate reflection. The census does not take into account religious practices but rather religious affiliation, whose strong numbers are demonstrated in moments such as those witnessed a few days ago.

Arhiva

   

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