Bread and Circuses

Two thousands years may separate us but we are identical to the Romans. Our Colosseum is the television.

14th September 2010

In its day the Colosseum was capable of seating 50,000 spectators to watch public spectacles, gladiatorial contests, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. To put that into contrast a modern amphitheatre, Stamford Bridge home of Chelsea F.C. a Premier League football club only seats 41,841 people. For 1st Century Romans the Colosseum was an intricate component of there lives, like football or X Factor is for many Britons in the 21st Century.

We like to think of the Romans as a cruel civilization which glorified violence as sport. They were in fact fiercely capable engineers, town planners and masters of managing large groups of people. Whether it was a legion of centurions or the unwashed masses, the Roman political elite could marshal their actions. I am increasingly left with the question, how different are we?

The Roman poet Juvenal circa 100 AD coined the phrase bread and circuses or bread and games to describe Romans. In his opinion bread and games were the only concerns of the populace which had forgotten it's birthright of political powers. I think that we are controlled to a greater extent than the Romans were by the Colosseum. The 21st Century mob of Briton is controlled by public spectacles of football and talent competitions.

I find X Factor a horrible programme which has only succeeded in further damaging the fragile music industry by creating copious redundant pop stars and groups which have minuscule lifespans in the public consciousness. In the early stages of X Factor the Nation simply tunes into ITV to watch this public humiliation of wannabe pop stars failing to impress the panel of judges. I find the format exploits people to entertain the mob. Much like the public execution of State enemies in the Colosseum.

I do not believe that I am unkind in my portrayal of the United Kingdom as a mob. I honestly believe that despite the elapse of two thousand years since the Roman Empire humanity has not grown. We instead move through life mindlessly content, so long as we have food and superficial entertainment.

What I find abhorrent is the willingness of the public to mindlessly watch drivel. I am not saying everyone should be watching University Challenge, Only Connect, The West Wing or Mad Men. But I feel with television programmes like X Factor and Big Brother and the associated celebrity culture has caused our Nation to simply tread water mentally. Tuning out and ignoring the surrounding world is extremely easy because of the innumerate stimuli designed to distract us. I think marketers and public relations agencies have much to answer for when the autopsy of broken Briton is complete.

Please know I am not a negative or pessimistic person. In fact I am optimistic about so many things. I may bang on about certain subjects earning myself the label of grumpy old man and crack pot because I vocalise my displeasure with society. To see and celebrate the best in humanity you must first see the detritus and decay. When it comes to entertainment I believe we are extremely bad at distinguishing high value and high quality programming from the cheap unsubscripted reality programming that passes as prime time entertainment. This gravitation to reality television and talent shows in my opinion is analogous to the public spectacles watched in the Colosseum.

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.