This could be one of the series which one can skim as he undergoes house arrest during these trying times of combating Covid-19. Even though the show brags of trying to answer all of life's questions on humans and their behaviours through its social experiments, it is, by no means, cerebral.
The Guardian labels it as one of the most worthless reality-experiment-pseudoscience show in history. Perhaps, it is a bit unkind to label it such, but some of the experiments that the show do are quite outlandish and their conclusions simplistic.
Some of the life questions that the show asks include 'What makes Us Attractive', 'Best Age to be Alive', 'about the Battle of the Sexes', 'Biasness of Society', 'Happiness', 'Pain versus Pleasure' and 'Distrusting our Senses'.
One of the bizarre assumptions here is that the ability of a male to dance is indicative of attractiveness, hence, potentially fertile. And the fertilising ability is deduced from a seminal analysis. Someone who has the grooves on the dance is supposed to be teeming with swimmers. Of course, one does not develop two left feet once he undergoes a vasectomy. Clinically we know that sperm count is not indicative of virility.
Besides that, there are a few interesting discussions with their guest psychologists and psychiatrists. Do uniforms make a person more desirable? Maybe a person in authority but definitely not in the lower rung of the society. Does a symmetrically balanced facial cut give one a get-out-of-jail-card free? It apparently does. And being comically funny melt hearts?
The schism between the sexes is discussed. The classic stereotyping of ladies not keeping to time is said to be debunked. The guys are, however, quite economical with their words. The graph of happiness is convexed at either end of one's lifespan. The young look at the life ahead of them of zest while the silver-haired are happy doing what they like at a leisurely pace. The concepts of fluid and crystalline memories are discussed briefly.
Whether we like it or not, people are biased. Their opinions of people are made from a composite of the colour of their skin, their previous experiences and prejudices, gender biases and accents. (maybe religion too but it is not discussed here.)
To a certain level, we are all social animals and are prone to conform to society. Herd mentality is prevalent.
Money makes people work harder. However, when it comes to creativity, passion supersedes financial remunerations to create that Van Gogh or Mona Lisa. Music has shown to affect our moods and even increased our boldness to take risks. The idea of a person with a surname that starts in the earlier part of the alphabet list tends to do better in life may not really true.
Overall, when you are quarantined in the house in the company of your loved ones and start questioning the purpose of your existence on Earth, this may be a precursor to the journey of self-discovery.
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