If one considers game shows as a reflection of society, there is something seriously wrong with us in light of Fox’s “The Moment of Truth,” where contestants answer embarrassing and occasionally disgusting questions to win cash.  Are our lives that empty that we need to get off on the personal shame of others?  Are people that desperate for money that they are willing to tell all on TV?  Why yes, apparently.

In contrast to this abomination is Oprah Winfrey’s entry into the contest, the Big Give.  The concept is a take-off on giving forward, where one good deed is used to encourage generosity in others, who will then continue to give forward.  The game requires a group of people to give away substantial sums of money in worthy and imaginative ways in accordance with varying rules.  Each week, someone is eliminated by a panel of judges who determine who was the least worthy.

There’s nothing about this show that comports with any idea I’ve ever had about charity.  It’s totally self-aggrandizing and the rules often reduce the utility of the monies given to a silly race rather than meaningful help to those in need.  But it is a game show, and what’s a game show without rules?  And if it’s going to take up air time, there has to be some benefit attached for someone.  That it lacks the attributes of sound, charitable giving may be unfortunate, but then it wouldn’t have the tension necessary to make anyone want to watch it. 

When juxtaposed with the alternatives available, this show is perhaps the best thing television has ever done to promote positive social values.  It certainly gives rise to an appreciation of the need to help others, a theme that has been shoved aside in our consumerist, self-absorbed society.  If it causes anyone to feel that helping others reflects a way of life that is more meaningful than getting their hands on that new BMW, then it has made a significant contribution.

While I hope that the producers put some greater thought into some of the rules, such as the silliness of each contestant being asked to give away $100,000 in 24 hours with no more than $500 per individual or $10,000 at any one place, an absurd task at best, at least a portion of those funds found their way into the hands of worthy causes and needy people.  This isn’t a bad thing.

To those who feel that Oprah Winfrey has a history of buying her way into the hearts of America, consider the alternative.  Would you rather have Oprah hooked up to a polygraph and have to answer questions about her sex life?  The Big Give is a big step forward.  If the lie detector show reflects a disease, then Oprah’s effort is the first step toward a cure.