Aydın Tiryaki (2026)

Introduction: Beyond Entertainment – A Tool for “Social Engineering”

Television screens ceased to be merely tools for entertainment filling our leisure time long ago. Today, TV series have transformed into powerful instruments of “social engineering” that reshape society’s value judgments, understanding of justice, and even criteria for success. In recent years, two dominant genres occupying our screens—the “Underground World/Mafia” and the “Modernized Feudalism (Agha)” series—are silently eroding the ethical values that form the mortar of society.

Role Reversal: The Heroization of the Criminal

In traditional storytelling and universal law, the criminal is the “villain,” and justice is the “hero.” However, in contemporary series, this equation has been dangerously inverted. The camera no longer looks over the shoulder of the innocent or the defender of the law; instead, it adopts the perspective of the gunman, the bully, and the tyrant who dispenses his own justice.

The greatest danger here is the “aestheticization” of crime. Mafia bosses—dressed in Italian suits, portrayed as family men, supposedly “patriotic,” and wearing a “Robin Hood” mask—are presented as the protagonists. In contrast, the honest citizen or civil servant who pays taxes, works nine-to-five, and obeys the rules is often depicted as “incompetent,” “passive,” and a “loser” in life.

The Great Deception: There is No “Good Mafia” or “Good Agha”

The point where scripts mislead the audience the most is the creation of a fake “moral distinction” within the world of crime and exploitation. To ease the audience’s conscience, unrealistic categories such as “Good Mafia vs. Bad Mafia” or “Good Agha vs. Bad Agha” are manufactured.

However, in terms of ethical values and law, the reality is clear: There is no such thing as “Good Mafia.” By definition, the mafia is illegal, tyrannical, and feeds on violence. The fact that a character opposes drugs or loves children does not change the reality that he is a leader of a criminal organization inflicting harm on society.

Similarly, there is no such thing as a “Good Agha.” An Agha (Feudal Lord) is, by definition, feudal; he relies on exploitation and stands as an obstacle to becoming a democratic individual. The portrayal of an Agha as “fatherly” cannot cover up the fact that he usurps the labor and free will of the people under his command. The perception of the “lesser of two evils” created in these series is no different from serving a poisoned meal with a fancy sauce. To make the audience say, “He may be a criminal, but he has a good heart,” is to legitimize the nature of the crime.

Towards a Machiavellian Society: “Win, No Matter How”

The greatest disease these series spread to society is the understanding that “the ends justify the means.” The audience legitimizes the character’s unethical behaviors by saying, “He did it to protect his family” or “He was forced to do it to defeat his enemy.”

It is not the manifestation of justice that is applauded, but the victory of “our guy.” This situation weakens the consciousness of the rule of law and engraves the principle of “might makes right” into the social memory. Especially among the youth, honesty has begun to be perceived as a weakness, while lawlessness is seen as a “show of strength.”

The Ultimate Insult to Women: The Lie of the “Power-Worshipping Woman”

One of the greatest damages these series inflict on society is the destruction of female identity and dignity. The equation established in the scripts constitutes a grave insult to women.

In these stories, “decent” men—who are educated, polite, respectful of the law, and non-violent—are generally portrayed as characters who are rejected by women, unexciting, and “inadequate.” Conversely, mafia types or feudal lords—who wield guns, act crudely, and cut corners—are presented as the “indispensable” loves that women find “most deserving.”

This narrative reduces women to beings who desire “brute force and money” rather than “morality and kindness.” Portraying female characters as being bound with “great love” to these tyrannical characters who dominate them, and even inflict psychological or physical violence, is to trample upon women’s dignity. The message given to the viewer—“Women do not love the gentleman; they love the strong man who oppresses them”—is one of the most dangerous cultural codes fueling violence against women. Leaving women in “admiration” of these crime machines is, in essence, an assault on women’s moral reasoning and personality.

A Dark Suspicion: Reputation Laundering and Financial Background

The financial and strategic dimensions of this issue should not be ignored. The massive budgets of these productions and their opaque financing models raise serious questions.

As seen in global examples (Mexico, Colombia, etc.), criminal organizations or capital focuses with unclear origins do not only want to launder money; they also want to launder their “reputation.” Financing popular culture to portray themselves as “sympathetic,” “strong,” and “necessary” in the eyes of the public is a strategic move.

The possibility that a portion of illicit money is transferred to the financing of such series—thereby both injecting the money into the system and “advertising” that lifestyle—is strong enough to prompt the question, “Why not?” Society needs to question not only the story seen on the screen but also by whom and for what purpose that story is financed.

Conclusion

Television series are not just scripts; they are mirrors of society and, at the same time, its shapers. These productions, where crime is praised, tyranny is considered “charisma,” and honesty is seen as “gullibility,” are blows dealt to the rule of law and social peace. As viewers, the day we value “justice” over “power” and “kindness” over “tyranny,” these scripts will be forced to change. It must not be forgotten: evil has no charisma; evil is simply evil.

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A Note on Methods and Tools: All observations, ideas, and solution proposals in this study are the author’s own. AI was utilized as an information source for researching and compiling relevant topics strictly based on the author’s inquiries, requests, and directions; additionally, it provided writing assistance during the drafting process. (The research-based compilation and English writing process of this text were supported by AI as a specialized assistant.)