Decadence (SBS TV)

Decadence: The Meaninglessness of Modern Life

Opening title screen
Genre Documentary
Presented by Pria Viswalingam
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 6
Production
Producer(s) Pria Viswalingam
Location(s) Australia
Running time 26 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel SBS
Original run 6 December 2006 – 10 January 2007

Decadence: The Meaninglessness of Modern Life is a six-part television documentary series commissioned by SBS Independent and produced by Fork Films. The series is hosted by Pria Viswalingam, who is best known for his work on the travel show A fork in the road. Decadence was originally broadcast on the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) of Australia in 2006 in the form of six, thirty-minute-long episodes (including advertisements). It was rescreened again in 2007 as part of the SBS season on globalisation.

The series examines the decadence and meaninglessness of modern, western life. It is also poses the question: If we live in such a great and prosperous world, and we are living longer, better, and healthier than before, why are we so unhappy?. There are interviews with many prominent experts and leaders in their fields throughout the series.

Episode guide

Episode One—Money

Part one examines the growing greed of society and the 80's ideal that greed is good. It also looks at the growing disparity between rich and poor.

Featured Interviews

Episode Two—Sex

Pria interviews New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney about the extent to which many cases of rape have become particularly violent and gruesome, and asks why sex crimes are growing in number in society. The link between violent pornography and sex crimes is also examined in this episode. A Medical ethicist Dr. Amin Abboud notes that sex has been trivialized and needs to be placed back into the context of emotional connections and intimacy and that sex should be rediscovered as part of love. In an interview, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach says that modern relationships collapse when people lose interest in the sex and that sex has become the sole measure and importance in a relationship.

Episode Three—Democracy

The nature of modern democracy is examined in this episode and the question "Do we really live in a democratic world any more?" is asked. The erosion of democracy, media control and the use of public money for advertising is looked at.

Featured Interviews

Episode Four—Education

The continuing undervaluing of an education in the West is considered. The lack of funding for primary and secondary education is also looked at. There is discussion about the transformation of universities from great learning places into businesses competing for students' money, who only want a fast-tracked easy course into a high -paying job.

Featured Interviews

Episode Five—Family

The modern western family is looked at, as is what really is a family in the west. The gradual decline in the importance placed on families and the disintegration of the idea of a family and people preferring isolation is looked at.

Featured Interviews

Episode Six—God

The nature of religion and religion in the West is looked at. The growing number of irreligious people in Western countries is considered and it is asked whether this has any effect on our happiness or morals.

Featured Interviews

See also

External links