24 and torture

Now, I think this season has been decently fair concerning privacy in times of crisis. Granted the President's sister caved and reported hearsay, but I think I would have done the same. Listen to me, like 24 is anywhere close to real life.

Anyway, like I said, this season has been decently fair. Lots of Fox News, but it's on Fox for crying out loud. I did like how they portrayed people unfairly going after Muslims, although the fact that Kumar (from Harold & Kumar) turned out to be a terrorist didn't help that stereotype.

OK, the reason for my post is this article from AlterNet. I think the article goes a bit too far in linking 24 with the neocon movement or whatever, but the discussion as to whether 24 is convincing people that torture works is a good point. Have you noticed that torture works quicker the less of a bad or good guy the character? Joe Schmoe needs a threat, a pion to a bad guy needs a taser or his knee torn up. The real bad guys need to be on the verge of death. It's like a video game - the badder the more endurance regardless of how that might map to reality.

So if you watch 24, that's part of the world they live in. Torture works. Either that or its a plot device. It doesn't work in real life. I get that. Do most folks? I hope so.