The ridiculous to the sublime - From CBB to Heimat - Link to info about this amazing film that I think also reflects society/humanity, but is non-exploitative and ethical.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/cinema/features/heimat.shtml

I've joked about blogging about CBB if I don't get requests for discussing spanking stuff, but I want to make some observations in a more serious mode.

I believe the bullying I witnessed to be nasty, but not atypical or unsurprising for the circumstances and the backgrounds of the people in the house. The comments were of a racial context, but may well have been about being posh, spotty, tall, ginger or whatever.

As someone who dislikes inequality and prejudice I am concerned that the fear of being called racist shuts down debate. I honestly believe that Jade was perplexed by someone who was so different from her that she made assumptions and in the hothouse atmosphere reacted, but the racial angle seemed incidental, other than the generalised 'different from me' stuff I suspect. My fear is that others who thought Shilpa a control freak/snob/whatever will now be muttering about 'political correctness gone mad' and feeling that 'the liberals' have robbed them of freedom of speech.

Racism is vile. But fear of being called a racist does not help to foster understanding.

Don't know about anyone else but I also feel that Jade fired the bullets so busily prepared by Danielle, who really does seem to be the dishonest and sneaky one. As she tells us she has a high IQ and has had a reasonable level of formal education.

The monstrous combination that is Jade, Danielle and Jo was a classic bully-machine. But I also think it is so easy for observers to condemn by thinking we'd be better-behaved in similar circumstances. Most of us wouldn't. What we see over and over in history (Germany, Rwanda etc, etc) and in so many psychological experiments is that our desire to be part of the pack makes us behave appallingly. Somehow calling someone else a bully/racist/powerabuser must mean we're not - but it's not that simple.

I am not a Christian (but some of my friends are!) but I like some of the lessons from their leader - First stone, anyone?

Ps if you want a sensible perspective on where CBB fits into stuff I suggest you read Menhir's thoughts on it.