Why I Agree That TV's '2 & A Half Men' Is 'Filth'

By Teresa Maples. Posted on Nov 30th 2012.

Plus: 4 keys to a mutually satisfying relationship.

In a recent interview, Angus T. Jones, who plays Jake Harper in the wildly popular television show Two And A Half Men, called the show "filth" and encouraged people to stop watching it. And while he has since apologized for using the word "filth," I agree with Jones to the extent that his show portrays a family whose members share a common inability to maintain coupled relationships.

By failing to show the consequences of the characters' endless promiscuity, e.g. loneliness and shame, the program dishonestly glorifies their lifestyle. And while I realize that Two And A Half Men relies on its comedy and dark humor for ratings (it's the most popular TV show in recent history, remaining in the top 1-3 spots since 2003), and that if the show featured healthy relationships, it likely would not have gotten on the air, still, the comedy and dark humor used give the impression that having sex with someone is the ultimate goal for a relationship.

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As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist, I believe Two And A Half Men has a huge cultural imact on the public. While some people prefer having sex with no emotional attachment, many others would like to be emotionally connected but just don't know how or may not even know there is something missing. If healthy relationships were not modeled to you when you were a child, you could be missing out on the benefits of a mutually satisfying, loving relationship.

What does a mutually satisfying loving relationship look like?

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1. You support each other through the storms of life. The worst thing you can do when challenges happen in your life is to take your frustration out on your partner. In healthy mutually satisfying relationships, partners will turn to each other for support during these rough times.

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Teresa Maples

Counselor/Therapist

Teresa Maples MS, LMHC, CSAT, CMAT

My passion is to encourage, nurture,and validate people, deepening their most important relationships to Live Life Abundantly!

If you would like to stay current with the latest and greatest relational research and thoughts, sign up for my newsletter. You may also subscribe to my Couples Thrive Blog, and visit my web site Woodland Pathways Counseling

Location: Gig Harbor, WA

Credentials: CMAT, CSAT, LMHC

Specialties: Couples/Marital Issues, Infidelity / Affair Recovery, Sex Addiction

Website: http://www.woodlandpathways.com

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