Hi Martin,
I wholeheartedly concur with your sentiments on the dark side of human nature, etc. However...
...whilst I get where you're coming from and take no pleasure in witnessing genuine cases of hardship, I do like seeing the wealthy or those who insist on living WAY beyond their means (and who also feature highly on that programme) get their comeuppance, for trying to shaft the often much poorer folk that they haven't paid!
Therefore, in those instances, let's not forget who very often the *real* victims are, which are the
claimants.....
So when I see those selfish, dishonest, materialistic wankers in their mansions, mortgaged up to their eyeballs, with two Ferraris and a Porsche sat outside, none of which they can actually afford, and all bought on the 'never, never', simply to project a false image of wealth to their friends and neighbours, get their just desserts, then I laugh my tits off, as I
DETEST folk like that - especially when their pretentious spendthrift lifestyle has been funded on the back of someone else's misery!!
In general, people these days want WAY too much, especially in terms of material possessions, and somehow think that they are 'entitled' to a lifestyle that they simply can't afford. That, and the shameful and wasteful 'disposable society' we've created now, grinds my gears like you wouldn't imagine!
And so anything which highlights that fact and forces those guilty to come crashing down to earth, and FACE REALITY, in my view is to be encouraged, not least for showcasing that you must always take FULL PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for any debts *you* create, and if you can afford to clear them, then take your head out of the fucking sand and DO SO, rather than intentionally trying to live off the back of others, or pretend that the debts don't exist!
Therefore, if programmes such as 'Can't Pay, We'll Take it Away', or 'The Sheriffs are Coming', successfully send out that message and stop those guilty of such behaviour, then that has to be a good thing. Perhaps, in that respect, for the sake of morality, these shows should focus solely on those who have ran up huge debts, at the expense of others, and who *CAN* afford to pay, but won't (and so need taught a lesson), rather than those in the most unfortunate of circumstances who can't?
I'd still watch them, as that's the only bit I'm interested in. In my view however, given what I've said, these shows do fulfil a useful purpose/public service, and for reasons given, can be hugely entertaining!
Marco.