Education or Unnecessary Cruelty

[JonathanD]

I sometimes watch the antics of BG and I take it all with a pinch of salt, not eduction or a documentary, but light entertainment.

Now something in the last programme didn't sit easy with me. In short he made a tennis racket and proceeded to kill several bats for food by hurling a flaming torch into a cave and bashing them when they were coming out. Now we expect this with BG and he usually goes on to eat them after, but he seemed to be relish playing tennis with them and was shouting 15 love, game set & match etc whilst doing so. For me it went too far, plus he killed more than necessary to demonstrate the point and never ate them afterwards.

I personally think that it was irresponsible programme making and could encourage kids in this country, where bats are a rare and protected species to go out and do the same. He is after-all supposed to be a role model now, and it came across to me as one of the bullies I knew at school who would play cricket with hedgehogs and blow frogs up. Not good, and he has dropped to an all time low in my estimations, not just for his programme, but for his own personal action and reactions during that clip.

Without resorting to personal insults towards BG and the old RM v BG debate. What do folks think?

 

[rik_uk3]

Ozzy Osbourne just bites the heads off bats.

 

[JonathanD]

Ozzy Osbourne just bites the heads off bats.

Yeah, but he did think it was fake after some daft woman threw it onto the stage. He did however, bite a doves head off whilst being intoxicated. He was supposed to release it as a gesture of peace, but got all mixed up and confused

 

[sxmolloy]

I thought he did eat them, maybe I'm wrong. Anyhow I do agree with the part where he was shouting the scores out etc, not necessary and IMO showed disrespect to the bats being batted.......

 

[JonathanD]

I'm pretty sure he didn't eat them. He squished a rat soon after and had that Could be wrong though.

 

[Wayland]

It's about what I've come to expect from him. I was greatly disappointed that the Scouts chose him as a role model, in my opinion he represents exactly the wrong approach to outdoor life and one that is sadly becoming prevalent in today society.

I meet kids all the time that think it is perfectly acceptable to tear a woodland to shreds so that they can build fires and shelters for a nights drinking.

Whilst not being a tree hugger, I do think that we need to respect our environment and all it's inhabitants, so such cheap, lowbrow "entertainment" is despicable in my opinion.

But what do you expect from the son of a corrupt politician.

 

[Andy BB]

I thought he did eat them, maybe I'm wrong. Anyhow I do agree with the part where he was shouting the scores out etc, not necessary and IMO showed disrespect to the bats being batted.......

I'm sure the bats were mortified at the insults...............

 

[John Fenna]

It's about what I've come to expect from him. I was greatly disappointed that the Scouts chose him as a role model, in my opinion he represents exactly the wrong approach to outdoor life and one that is sadly becoming prevalent in today society.

I meet kids all the time that think it is perfectly acceptable to tear a woodland to shreds so that they can build fires and shelters for a nights drinking.

Whilst not being a tree hugger, I do think that we need to respect our environment and all it's inhabitants, so such cheap, lowbrow "entertainment" is despicable in my opinion.

But what do you expect from the son of a corrupt politician.

My sentiments exactly!
I have long thought BG a bit of a joke, but now a very sick joke.

 

[badgeringtim]

Im genuinely sorry to say this has confirmed my thoughts of the chap, i had hoped he might have tried to raise his game given his profile. Im only suprised he didnt include something that was positively dangerouse/fatal to the person as a 'survival' technique.

Strangley from what i can make out he is very different when not on this show, which just makes it worse as this is the opublic face everyone sees.

 

[Wallenstein]

But what do you expect from the son of a corrupt politician.

I think that's a bit harsh... you can't help who your parents are. I know a few children of Tory politicians and they turned out OK.

 

[JonathanD]

Strangley from what i can make out he is very different when not on this show, which just makes it worse as this is the opublic face everyone sees.

I've met him a few times and always got on quite well with him as he is completely different from you'd expect from his show, very self effacing. And so I've never judged him by the show until I saw this particular scene. It's certainly not what I'd expect and probably why I found it shocking.

 

[xylaria]

I remember him biting into a live fish in the arctic, and I thought that was grossly unnecessary, and I pretty much avoid watching him now because of that. I just watched the bat clip on youtube, the thought that some prats will copy this horrifies me. The daily mail headline beckons "Kids in bats rabies shock after seeing Bear". Mind you I can t see anyone coping the river water enema he did on himself.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day JonathanD

I've met him a few times and always got on quite well with him as he is completely different from you'd expect from his show, very self effacing. And so I've never judged him by the show until I saw this particular scene.
It's certainly not what I'd expect and probably why I found it shocking.

Before I continue, let me state from the start that I personally disagree with the portrayal of any form of waste of natural resources.

It's only been in the last 6 months or so that "Man vs Wild" has been on "free to air' here in Australia & since I refuse to have any form of "paid TV" in my home I haven't seen the episode referred to

But I will ask you this question, "what is the commercial rational" behind any TV show that is on paid TV or commercial TV"?

Is it to obtain ratings & therefore enable the shows producers to charge more based on the advertising revenue potential of the show, or is it to provide valuable information regardless of the potential advertising revenue the show might generate?

If it was the latter, then we would be seeing the locals who are advising Bear (or Les Stroud for that matter) on what was required to survive in their "neck of the woods"

But I will ask you this.

What do you think would happen to Bear as the "star" of the show, if he refused to do what the shows producers wanted done in a particular episode?

Personally I think his shows represent a great educational opportunity for my kids. We always watch his shows & I'm constantly asking my children what they think about what they have just seen.

Some times they agree, sometimes they reckon that they wouldn't do what he has just shown and tell me why they wouldn't do what they have seen

As a parent with an interest in showing my kids they need to evaluate all they see or hear regardless of the medium, all these "survival related" shows serve their purpose because they give my kids the opportunity to sort through the "chaff to get to the wheat".

But then again, I personally don't look to these types of shows for information on "how to survive in the wild", but rather view them as an opportunity for my kids to get practice in applying critical thinking




Kind regards
Mick

 

[JonathanD]

But I will ask you this.

What do you think would happen to Bear as the "star" of the show, if he refused to do what the shows producers wanted done in a particular episode?

Personally I think his shows represent a great educational opportunity for my kids. We always watch his shows & I'm constantly asking my children what they think about what they have just seen.

Some times they agree, sometimes they reckon that they wouldn't do what he has just shown and tell me why they wouldn't do what they have seen

As a parent with an interest in showing my kids they need to evaluate all they see or hear regardless of the medium, all these "survival related" shows" serve their purpose because they give my kids the opportunity to sort through the "chaff to get to the wheat".

But then again, I personally don't look to these types of shows for information on "how to survive in the wild", but rather view them as an opportunity for my kids to get practice in applying critical thinking

Mick, It was not a scene that was scripted and devised to win ratings, and I very much doubt that Bear was asked by the programme makers to be crass and make tennis jokes while batting the animals in that scene, which he was. He could just as easily killed a bat via that method without treating it as a fun game of 'bat tennis'. It is a case of responsible programme making. To suggest that it is OK to portray irresponsible behaviour like that to give the audience their chance to decide is not right. Where do you draw the line in that case? Bear is a role model to our young scouts. For a role model to show himself killing bats for fun and as a bit of a joke, is absolutely unnacceptable. Les Stroud never did that, and neither have other wilderness experts. They show how to kill for food in a responsible and respectful manner.

 

[susi]

I think the problem is that all parents aren't (or can't be) as participative as SouthernCross (hat off to you for your parenting skills BTW). Kids mimic what they see on the telly (I know I used to), and if bats aren't available, kids' imagination will soon find a substitute.

I haven't seen, and don't wish to see, the clip. It all just sounds a bit sick. I have nothing against killing, when it is for a purpose, and is performed quickly, humanely and with respect for the life taken. I sometimes worry for the future of Bushcraft/Survival, if this example, together with many others, are anything to judge it by.

 

[BOD]

I think he has done a service to bushcraft and wilderness living by reminding us that insects are a valuable source of carbohydrate and protein and were undoubtedly an important part of the diet of early man.

It's the Ed Wardle type belief that moose and deer are the staples of primitive living that are the true perversion

 

[JonathanD]

I think he has done a service to bushcraft and wilderness living by reminding us that insects are a valuable source of carbohydrate and protein and were undoubtedly an important part of the diet of early man.

It's the Ed Wardle type belief that moose and deer are the staples of primitive living that are the true perversion

I agree he has found a wider audience and brought many new people into the fold, I wasn't questioning anything other than that one incident.

The clip is on Youtube, and you can see by some comments on there that some people will no doubt be going out and trying it for themselves. Great.

 

[sxmolloy]

I'm sure the bats were mortified at the insults...............

I highly doubt it to be honest with you Andy BB. I do think it shows little or no respect to the bats as a species though! Don't you think?

 

[Docherty]

Perhaps Bear had to try and crack a few jokes to make the job a bit more bearable? You know one of those if you don't laugh you'll cry moments...

Maybe some kids will try this - maybe some adults will, but I'd be more concerned about them lobbing molotov cocktails into caves than whacking the bats - sure bats are protected and you shouldn't do it, but then again you shouldn't use your air rifle to pop off a pheasant or grouse out of season, how many folks whove skim read articles on here have gone off and done that?

Bear's an easy fall guy and this looks like a one off - don't turn it into bigot-gate

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day Jonathan

For a role model to show himself killing bats for fun and as a bit of a joke, is absolutely unnacceptable. Les Stroud never did that, and neither have other wilderness experts. They show how to kill for food in a responsible and respectful manner.

I agree 100% than no animal should be killed when it is not necessary to preserve life (eg a highly venemous snake presents a real threat to the life of another human) or the animals flesh / hide is used to maintain human life.

But then again, I have seen on numerous occasions Les Stroud described as the "starving man". I'm not sure this description is an ideal role model for children either

However, I must admit that I don't make my living as a TV star and therefore I am free to be critical

Personally, I think the real shame is when any child feels the need to have a TV star as a role model rather than their parents/relatives/friends

There is much I could add to elaborate further, but I have already have had one post deleted for being honest & I don't particularily want this post to become the second

Take care mate (thumbs up)




Kind regards
Mick