00264--[DOUBLE] Willing suspension of disbelief in THE BIG BANG THEORY

[DOUBLE] Willing suspension of disbelief in THE BIG BANG THEORY

Willing suspension of disbelief is a term coined in 1817 by the poet and aesthetic philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge who suggested that if a writer could infuse a "human interest and a semblance of truth" into a fantastic tale, the reader would suspend judgment concerning the implausibility of the narrative. [Wikipedia]

In simple words we keep aside our reason and enjoy the art or literature. Where reason kills the amusement or thrill or joy, the willing suspension of disbelief prepares the ground for harmony with the artist or writer. That ( willing suspension of disbelief) is a small price we pay for being subjected to a great experience.

Sheldon is a collection of strange behaviours. To enjoy the work of art, namely Sheldon, the audience practices the attitude which Coleridge called as Willing suspension of disbelief.

When [S07E06] Sheldon snatches the cookie from Leaonard and says, “Now give me that cookie I discovered an element”, we need to have a double willing suspension of disbelief. Because we had already practiced this attitude with Sheldon's antipathy for his food being touched by others.

We all very well remember the incident in which Sheldon throws away the food just because Penny has touched it. Now will such a person take someone else's cookie even if it is to show off the importance he gained after he made a great discovery? 

We are OK with Sheldon's that habit (thanks to our capacity to suspend disbelief) but now he behaves the opposite as he snatches a cookie from Leonard. That too is OK. Again thanks to our capacity to suspend disbelief.

We watch TBBT to laugh. Therefore we keep aside our reasoning and laugh when Sheldon says,“Now give me that cookie I discovered an element”. But here we are suspending our disbelief for the second time. I would like to call it DOUBLE SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF.

However “reason” is the substratum. TBBT had to introduce a new character named Lucy to make Raj to talk in front of women without the help of alcohol. Raj's cure is made possible without the willing suspension of disbelief from the part of the audience.

I LOVE THE BIG BANG THEORY!!!!