New Romans

Tonight was the finale of Whodunnit, the new reality show in which contestants must solve murder mysteries each week detailing how previous contestants were killed. Although no contestants were really harmed in the show, it makes me wonder how close we are to becoming the next Rome, in which men and women are killed merely for the entertainment of the audience. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the show Whodunnit and am looking forward to the next season. However, this new reality show seems to be toeing a very thin line. Reality shows, no matter what their themes, are always cutthroat, but it seems that the relief contestants had with just hypothetical deaths is a step above cut throat. With the imitation of real murders and the competitive but nonchalant aura of the show, Whodunnit could be the start of actual death becoming a mere game. And the audience is not completely free of blame for this transition. If we desensitize ourselves to the idea of watching fake deaths that mimic real murders, how far are we from not blinking when we see an actual murder televised. And if we do come to this point, will we become the next Romans who find pleasure in blood shed and torment? Will we eventually find our empire crumbling. Perhaps I am blowing up a simple situation into a major drama, but it wouldn't hurt to keep this possibility in mind. It may take decades, but we could find that we transform into the modern equivalents of blood lusting Romans.