LESSONS FROM LOVE ISLAND

 Now there’s a title I never thought I’d use for this blog!

But it is true, this summer I am watching Love Island.

Our eldest son is back home for a while so I’m watching it with him. I’m interested to see why he enjoys it and I love building bonds through a shared interest. And it’s giving me much cause for reflection, including some surprising parallels with being a writer.

For those who haven’t had the pleasure, a group of young people live together in a Majorcan villa hoping to find a relationship and win a big cash prize at the end of the series. The producers regularly mix up the couples in a sort of relationship version of musical chairs. Apart from the occasional uninspiring date or strangely themed party games, they hang around talking to or about each other. It’s like Big Brother in bikinis.

I must be getting old because I was immediately horrified by how scanty those bikinis are. To be honest, there was at least one that I was convinced was simply the wrong size. But then I remembered some of the outfits I wore in my twenties, which I loved, and decided to avoid hypocrisy.

These young people expose themselves in more ways than the obvious. And that makes them vulnerable. Thousands of strangers will know their intimate secrets, judge their decisions, form opinions of their character based only on this edited and forced situation.

Maybe those skimpy clothes (and apparently, there is a whole wardrobe and team of stylists in the villa with them) are symbolic of how they are also baring their souls and personalities in public?

The first time I published one of my poems in a Facebook group, I felt as if I were standing naked in the high street. Any of us who write anecdotally similarly bare our lives to public gaze. But whatever we write, we all put at least a little of ourselves on show. I guess the only difference is that we choose our own edits.

The other surprising aspect to Love Island is while they may look confident, sassy, perfect, the contestants are all looking for the same thing. There’s something rather sweet about how much they make of having a cuddle and in their desire to have a lasting relationship. Several of them have talked about wanting to get married and have children. There’s an artlessness and innocence in their desire for love and connection.

And isn’t that what we are trying to do as Christian writers?

Build connection with our readers. Point them in some way to the lasting source of love. Model the eternal relationship.

I’m finishing this post only a few hours before the deadline.

“Well,” laughed my son, “You had more important things to do last night, Mum, like watching Love Island!”

“No, love,” I replied, “That was research!”

But that’s my last point. How can we engage our readers in what we write without taking the time to understand the world they live in? And how can we communicate God’s love to others if we don’t learn what’s important to them?

Who’d have thought? Love Island – it’s educational!

(Probably the nearest I'll get to Love Island!)


Liz Manning fits writing around being an Occupational Therapist, BB captain, wife, and mum to two adults. Or perhaps it's the other way round. She blogs regularly at
https://thestufflifeismadeofblog.wordpress.com/, has two WIPs and more ideas in the pipeline.


Comments

  1. I don't know Love Island and want to misquote something you wrote, Liz: "Isn’t that what we are trying to do as Christians? Build connection with our (acquaintances)?" So this comment may be totally off-track.
    Christian Leaders often encourage us to 'build connection' with our neighbours or colleagues, befriend them, do them a kindness, praise them, etc. with no ulterior motive (except that we want to introduce them to Jesus). Is this legit? How does it differ from the universally deprecated practice of 'grooming', whereby an adult subversively cultivates friendship with a child, in order later to take advantage of their confidence and maybe abuse them?

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    1. I think it's all in the motivation, isn't it? Grooming is done, as far as I know, with very much an ulterior motive of manipulating and taking advantage. It's also a totally deceptive practice. I think, as Christians, we should build connections with those around us by .doing kindnesses, just to be examples of Jesus' love, not expecting anything in return (not even a chance to introduce Jesus to them).

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    2. I totally agree. As people loved by God and made in His imagee, loving and serving others is a natural thing to do. It may lead them to know him or it may not. But that's His business, not ours

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  2. Now that is a fascinating take on it all! I've never watched Love Island but I love that you made yourself do it in the name of research. And you've made such thoughtful points. Great blog! Maybe there should be some kind of Christian reality show. Agape Island. Although minus the bikinis. And maybe some of the other stuff

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    1. Hmm, I'm going to mull over Agape Island now -perhaps there's series for us to write! But we'll have to give something instead of the bikinis!

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  3. Thanks for this Liz. I salute you watching Love Island as a bonding with your son experience! I have never watched it, but seen enough clips to make me really sad. As you say there is a definite link between physical self exposure (bikini) and emotional over exposure. Sad that they are so vulnerable perhaps, although you could say they know what they are doing even going on the show. It does feel very vulnerable sharing your writing too - although at least we have some control over the editing, and what we get to expose! Great blog.

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    1. Thanks Joy. I definitely went into this expecting to disapprove heartily but I'm surprised by how sweet the contestants are. The editing definitely skews the impression we get of them and the clips even more so I think. One thing I didn't write about was the responsibility of us as the audience, the voyeurism of such programmes. But lots to think about.

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    2. What a fabulous post! Loved the part about the scanty bikinis causing horror until you thought back to your youthful antics 😆 Also heartily agree with your points about baring our souls as writers and building connection (the two things are interlinked, I think?) A fascinating comparison and you've really made me want to watch the show. Thanks for such a thought provoking post, Liz!

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  4. Lovely post. Glad you killed 2 birds with one stone! Bonding with your son and watching a movie as a topic for discussion for us to reflect on is fantastic. It is not just Love Island, the culture of skimpy dressing amongst our young women and girls is really an annoying issue. Do they feel insecure? We can only pray that things will turn around in our world that Love Island perfectly reflects. Thanks and blessings.

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    1. The emphasis on physical perfection is heartbreaking, isn't it? But perhaps it gives us a chance to point to God's perfection and wholeness instead

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  5. I have a weekly film night with my adult son too. We take turns to host it, just me and him and, for now, his choice of Game of Thrones! Never thought I'd watch that either, but I'm enjoying it.

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