A posting on this space science site about a UK TV reality show that cons contestants into believing that they are sent into space, produced the comments below.
I thought you all would enjoy the suggestion for a reality show for fundamentalist, ROFL:
, The "contest winners" will have to not be space nuts
like us, or else they will notice that, for all the
rocket noise and shaking, the 3 G acceleration seems
to be missing in action. And how will the lack of
microgravity be explained?
Anyway, if I were to be hoaxed in any such way, I
would sue the pants off of the hoaxers, and then I
would have all future pants impounded for life. I
would sue if I didn't fall for it (and I wouldn't),
and I would sue if I did fall for it (in which case
I'd feel pretty stupid, but since the whole world
would've just seen me looking stupid, there would be
little point in hiding my stupidity).
The basis of the lawsuit would be emotional damage.
Space has been a dream for me since I was a little
kid. To be told that the dream is coming true for
lucky little ol' me, and to work my butt off
"training" so that the dream can be real, and then to
be fooled into thinking that "oh my God, I'm in
SPACE!!" And then to be told "PSYCH! we sure fooled
you!" This is cruel, and the hoaxers cannot be
allowed to get away with it. Yes, I do think there
are too many lawsuits, and yes, I think that charges
of emotional cruelty are overdone. But this is proof
that the category should not be done away with.
It is exactly like convincing a bunch of
kindergartners that they are going to the North Pole
to meet Father Christmas... "PSYCH! This is Norway,
and there is no Father Christmas! You dumb kids!
HAHAHA!!!" It is like convincing an American Southern
Fundamentalist congregation that they have been
Raptured, complete with meeting Jesus, only to tell
them "PSYCH! You're still on Earth, and this 'Jesus'
is actually an atheist! and gay! and a Democrat!
HAHAHA!!!" Some things just should not be done to
people. I hope the hoaxees punch the hoaxers in the
mouth, and get away with it. Plead emotional distress.
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You want emotional distress? Here's my, better, idea for a
space shot hoax/reality TV show. Instead of just sending them
into space, send them to Mars instead, but make it clear that
they would have to be asleep on the journey in order to
conserve supplies. Instead, they get put to sleep, loaded on
a plane, and flown to their "Mars base". You don't even have
to bring them home. Just let them start finding wierder and
wierder stuff around their base, maybe have them spot a few
aliens running around, and then end it with a close encounter
of some sort. More good ideas: give them clocks that run fast
and roll over at 24:37. Mess with the lighting in the base
and put filters on the windows so they think the sky looks
brownish. Show them fake newscasts on the TVs during their
"training" so they think everyone knows about their "Mars
shot". Kill off one of the actors on an expedition in some
sort of accident, or maybe have him captured by aliens. I
think it could run for a few seasons. A lot cheaper than
building a space shuttle simulator too, I think.
Matt
