Tuesday, February 09, 2010

totally ill informed

before i even begin, let me fully disclose that the opinion herein are largely ill informed and just my reactions after seeing that the duggar family had their 19th baby prematurely at  less than 2 pounds.

i am not sure why i just learned about this news (is it news??), but i figure driving around england and ireland is excuse enough.

i have spent the last few minutes going through their tlc website (because i have said it here before i compare their reality show to a car accident and i can't seem to turn away once i stop...) and it amazes me that this little 'bundle of joy' is being celebrated without acknowledgement that the older a mother is and the more pregnancies she has had, the risks of complications there are.  and i would say that a premature baby is a pretty damn large complication.

and this is also the problem with reality television.  it is all fine and dandy when everything is going the way that you want it and your life is 'picture perfect,' but as soon as problems arise and a wrench is thrown in the plans of life (which, come on, that almost never happens!), i am sure having a reality show is no longer the dream that it once was.  as well, the network has to spin everything that is presented on the show as some sort of miracle or gift or bundle of joy, when the reality is that although that child is certainly wanted, her early birth has brought a host of difficulties and challenges into the lives of a family of 18 other people.  and this is not a statement that premature babies are not 'worth the trouble' or anything like that, but that all families who have had to go through what the duggars are likely going through now will likely be misrepresented by the newly 'elected' poster family for premies.

like i said, these opinions might not be informed and i am not quite sure why i even care about a family that could be as fictional as any other that i watch or read about as far as i am concerned.  but it really is a car crash.  and everyone has an opinion on who was at fault in a car crash.

3 comments:

La Cabeza Grande said...

Amen, sister. And it's not news. It is a family medical matter that they've invited into the homes of strangers. What price, fame (or infamy)?

kristen said...

As bad as it sounds, my first reaction to hearing the news of the preemie was "wow, so they really are just falling right out a this point". YES, I realize that I'm probably going to hell for that and after I scolded myself I promptly hoped for health and safety for all of the Duggars (including the latest J-named baby).

The good news is, I bet the reality show helps pay for all of the medical bills they will be stuck with. Having a baby in the states is expensive even with a healthy full-term baby. I can't even imagine what the care for a 2 pound baby would cost

lu said...

i hadn't thought about the aspect of money and health insurance so that could be the upside to having your family woes broadcast all over television sets throughout the world.

which also might answer my question i had about why a family that rarely watches television would have their own tv show.