Spent the later part of this evening watching MTV’s “Next” on television. A whole evening of it (with an interlude for some fantastic Flight of the Concords.)

For those who do not frequent MTV, it is basically a speed dating program with four contestants being “Nexted” when the prospective date works through them. Prospective dates are eliminated for any number of reasons from bad dress sense, too thin/fat/tall/short, too perky, sluggish, smelly, demanding to questions of whether to share a sleeping bag on a date.

I’ve come away feeling slightly dirty. Uncomfortable. For one, I guess there is some insecurity there – if these guys can’t get a date what hope is there for the rest of us? But more than that, in trying to second guess the show I get drawn into the game of snap judgements, of judging books by their covers. I look at the pretty girls with the “perfect figure” and rate their chances higher.

Are we that shallow?

Is this entertainment?

I pray that I do not get dragged into a world of shallow living – of shallow judgments. I know how easily the fall can be.