Hour of Torture

  

The clock is ticking down, anxiety builds as the viewer roots for protagonist federal agent Jack Bauer to get the vital information needed to take out a nuclear threat and save millions of lives. “24” was a hit show on the Fox network with a plot aligned around Jack Bauer and the C.T.U (counter-terrorism unit). Each season is based on the 24 hours of one day, and each episode is one hour of action, drama, and political thriller.  The show covers Bauer fighting to neutralize threats such as; terrorist plots, presidential assassination, nuclear threats, sleeper cells, and much more that Bauer often reluctantly finds himself dealing with. A main tactic Bauer uses in neutralizing threats is torture, regardless of the risks in the show to his life or his job. He validates his use of torture by claiming the information to be crucial to the safety of civilian lives. The show's validation of torture creates a misconception in the minds of the audience about torture itself allowing for a more desensitized reaction.




Bauer’s use of torture is regarded as excessive 
even within the show, but due to the fact that it manages to be justified somehow in the plot, it allows both the characters and the viewers to “accept” it as a necessary evil. Some of the torture done in the show includes, bone breaking, electrocution, chemical injections, as well as various mental forms. As a personal fan of the show, I found the various forms of torture to be cringe worthy indeed, however with the clock ticking down on every episode, I also found myself pining for that crucial information as well. However, looking at the show from an objective standpoint, it completely desensitizes the audience to the true horrors of torture in many ways. 

Torture is presented as a necessary action in order to save lives and therefore is justified. Torture is also normalized through the fact that it occurs so frequently in each of the episodes that the audience grows used to this form of information gathering. Ultimately, torture is desensitized through both the justification and the increased occurrences. In addition, characters of the show often “recover” from torture immediately showing no mental duress. This lack of the real negative consequences of torture being presented in the show adds to the whole concept of torture being a necessity in information seeking by the government. The show even goes further and leaves the legal aspect behind when in one instance Bauer quits his job and leaves his associates in order to commit an illegal act of torture which was then validated by the show in his gain of crucial information. Leaving the legality of torture behind, “24” moves toward the morals of the situation, if hurting this one life could save millions, why not? 

Due to all these aspects of desensitizing and moralizing torture, I believe that, although entertaining, it creates a negative perception of torture. Viewers of the show are going to be more willing to accept the use of torture in information seeking by the government because they are falsely presented to true nature of it and the repercussions. This misconception is a detriment to the mindset of society however, “24” is not the only outlet that causes this. Violent video games, movies, and music all contribute to this mass desensitization in society today. However, this does not mean the children of the future are doomed to live in a violently corrupt world because this misconception can be remedied with education on the real life situations that involve these acts of violence.