Letter published in the South China Morning Post – 09 March 2010
by Christian Masset
The series Future Weapons has been screened at prime time on ATV World for a few months.
I would like to know why it is being shown at peak viewing times given its questionable educational content. The series is produced by the Discovery Channel, with a reputation for making high-quality programmes on science and technology for young people and adults. However, this series focuses exclusively on instruments of war and the destruction and killings caused by wars. What valuable message can such a programme offer to younger generations ?
The tittle of the show assumes that wars are inevitable, implicitly meaning that peace is impossible. Is it not, to put it mildly, self- defeating to hope for peace while proclaiming the inevitability of wars ? We are now facing so many man-made challenges, as vital resources such as water and decent food are depleted. Do we need more wars ? When is humanity going to grow up and adopt a mature approach to resource management and conflict resolution ?
To make its programme more balanced, Discovery should also deal with the following issues : Who decides on wars ? Who finances wars ? Who never goes to war ? Who always benefits from war ? The answers to these questions would place the topic of weapons and wars in their right context and surely provide a sobering and educational experience to the fans of Future Weapons.
