opinion

Do you know a TV game show called The Moment of Truth? It's a game in which contestants submit to a lie detector test while answering increasingly personal and embarrassing question in order to win cash prizes. I saw the ads several time, but never watched it. Today, after dinner, while hubby took out the garbage, I flipped TV channel and found that TV show was airing. Out of curiosity, I followed the last fifteen minute of that TV show that replaces American Idol's time.

The participant was a woman that works as a volunteer firefighter. On the stage, there were also her husband, father in law and friend. Then, the show started. There were first six question that must be answered correctly to get $10.000. Below were some questions that I remember for today's episode.

The first question, "Have you ever shared stuff that you shoplifted to your kids?" She was smiling, and answer, "YES". The presenter asked what stuffs that she stole. She answered sometimes lollipop, she said it still happens. Her husband that was there was surprised and expressed his disbelieve for what he heard.
The other question were:
"Have you stolen thing from your relative's house?"
"Do you thing your dad would love you better of you were a boy?"
"Have you ever ignored the emergency call?" (this question was from her firefighter friend)
"Do you work as firefighter because you can get attracted to other men more than to your husband?"
The answer to those four question was "YES". Up to that point, the big smiley that were showed on her in law and husband's face changed to grim face of disappointment. Her father in-law even uttered "flirty and klepto".
She answered all the six question and took challenge to the next step, the deeper personal question.

First question, "Have you ever thought that you will leave your husband because he doesn't have much money?"
She squirmed, doubted, and looked worry to her husband. After a long pause, she answered, "NO". Then there's a sound said, "that answer is true".
Everybody was applauded in relieve.
Then next question, "Is there any time that you feel your husband is sexually unattractive to you after you got married?" She gave instant smirk, looked very nervous and stress out. She said, "NO", after thought out loud. That answer brought her prize down to zero. She lied according to the detector! She cried and asked an apology to her husband. I hope the show didn't ruin their marriage.

The higher the level, the more difficult as deeper personal questions were asked. I can see the uncomfortable feeling of contestant. I guess, choosing between five digits cash and relationship he/she has with people they "love" is not easy after all. I don't know what the purpose for that show, but for me that is crazy and useless TV show. Life is not just black and white. Sometimes people has secret that only him and God know. Sometimes some people don't need to know your feeling because that doesn't do any good to other people, other people may not (or never) ready to hear about your felling toward them. Lets imagine that at some point, we don't agree with our in-laws, but overall we love and respect them. Disagreement is part of live, and nothing is wrong about it. Question that is very general, or very specific in wrong way could confuse us to answer. The answer is not just about yes and no, and if we answer either way, that doesn't express the fact. The answer may let down or insult other people.

The pathetic thing is the audience's applause after the contestant answer the controversial questions truly (usually the unexpected ones). For me, it sounds like enjoying someone's pain. Provoking conflicts in families and making it to boost up rating is morally unacceptable. Don't you think it's the same or worse than gossiping? But on the other hand it's the contestant's choice to put their marriage and relationship to other people that important to them in jeopardy. Oh well...