I’m sick of watching beautiful women fight with ugly words on TV.
I get it. Watching women who are at odds with each other having a civil, clarifying and restorative conversation isn’t going to make it into primetime television, but it’s an approach to female interpersonal conflict that we desperately need to see in pop culture.
We’re quick to give our attention to shows that tear people down; to relish the drama of a smeared reputation and a catty fight. It’s a fiery train wreck we can’t look away from, but one I wish was never caused.
A Christian worldview offers this warning about the power of our words:
“A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!
It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.” – James 3: 5-6, The Message
There’s a better way to approach conflict than what we’re served in most reality TV.
Young Once offers a refreshing approach to drama, one where young women find common ground, seek clarity without condemning and find unlikely friendship – a picture of harmony among the chaos.
In Season 2, Episode 4 of Young Once, there is tension between Cassie Randolph and Kendall Fee surrounding their mutual friend, and Cassie’s ex-boyfriend, Caelan Tiongson. But, the two women discuss their misunderstanding from a posture of grace.
“I never thought that I’d be able to hang out and have a good time with you,” shares Kendall to a surprised Cassie.
On camera Cassie shares, “I always knew I felt tension with his friends, but did he (Caelan) even know that Kendall didn’t like me?”
Cassie then shares with Kendall her side of the story and helps Kendall see things from a different perspective. They hug, apologize, and talk about how glad they are that they got to hang out and spend time together.
“I can put bitterness and hard feelings that I may have had for Cassie behind me and hand them over to the Lord who can bring something beautiful out of a situation we never thought had any good in it.”
How refreshing to watch women resolve conflict well on TV.
And if we’re going to fight, let’s do it for more shows like Young Once.
