Television Gets It Wrong

We have all heard the expression, "perception is reality." The idea behind this trite little snippet declares that whatever we see is true and real. Now, there is some merit to this perspective, but often it leads us to make rash decisions and snap judgements on situations and people without having all the necessary information to render an informed and accurate opinion. Face it... Sometimes we are lazy and it's easier to allow ourselves to just believe what we see or hear instead of what might be true.

Recently, some common stereotypes regarding the homeless were perpetuated on a television show called Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters. The show centers on bounty hunters based in various locales in Colorado and Montana (Kalispell, actually). I watched an episode a few nights ago and the bounty hunters followed a tip that led them to a homeless camp in Marion. As they foraged through the woods to find the camp, they uncovered traps and fretted about the dangers of their situation. The ideas perpetuated were that homeless people living in these places were criminals and reprobates.

While it is true that some people who remove themselves from society and live in the woods in various camps are dangerous, the majority simply want to be left alone. The perception is homeless people sleep in alley’s on pieces of cardboard, with liquor or wine bottles littered all around them. The reality is if we see something on the television, then it must be true, and this is how television portrays the homeless.

By and large, most homeless people do not sleep in alley’s on cardboard. The perception is the homeless just panhandle and beg for money, annoying everyone passing by. The reality is when day labor jobs are available, the homeless are usually the first in line to get the work available that day. The perception is the homeless are criminals, and going to jail especially during colder months is a vacation for them. The reality is homeless people value their freedom just as much as the next person.

If we are going to treat people with dignity, then we owe it to them to not pass along negative stereotypes we learn from television (which seeks to entertain and not represent reality). The truth is that some people living in camps suffer from different disabilities and are in need of mental health treatment. The reality is we need a system that provides the help these people need.

Perception is overrated and unreliable if we rely solely on what we see and hear.