TV -- PT. 1: GETTING A GRIP ON REALITY

Language is as powerful today as it ever was.

No, scratch that. Language is more powerful today than ever before.

It's a weapon that can be used, in, say, the hands of the propagandist or TV marketing scumbag (same thing), to bludgeon the masses without us even knowing the club had been raised. A weapon of mass seduction.

Case in point: "Reality" shows. Interesting piece of language. Where's the reality? I don't know about you, but my life has nothing to do with being surrounded by spoiled, sub-mental egomaniacs pouting and screaming at each other. I think that was called high school. On its very very worst days.

So, again, where's the reality? The reality is that these programs are a contrivance to appeal to our worst instincts, dumb us down, suck us in, and keep us glued to the couch watching soda commercials where we belong. And the gyp is working like a friggin' charm.

I first studied mass communication in the 80s and I can honestly say that in terms of the "entertainment" arm of that discipline, I have never found anything as reprehensible and plain insulting to my intelligence as these buckets of vomit.

And yes, I have nailed my feet to the floor and sat through different reality shows, so I know what they look like. And by the midway point of any one of them I'm praying to my personal god for a sudden and massive stroke.

Here's my idea.

Don't put these aggravating pinheads in a luxury home and give them prizes. Put 'em in the projects for a winter, shut off the heat and feed them Corn Flakes three times a day. And kick them in the arse every time they whine about something.

Then for the finale, torch the joint to teach them about unsafe living environments and evacuate them right into the waiting arms of the local homies. There's a dose of reality I might actually tune in to watch.

Okay, so this is a rant blog today. I'm sorry. (Well, no I'm not.) I'm just sick and tired of the Idiot Culture. Guilty pleasures here and there? Fine. But a culture pervaded with lowest common denominator dog puke? No bloody thanks. I have a decent brain and I reserve the right to forbid entry.

The really sad thing is that you just know reality shows were born this way:

[TV programming brainstorming session]

Exec. 1: We have to slash the budget but still keep the yokels tuning in. Hmmm. How about this: We take a bunch of strangers -- real pains in the ass -- and dump them on an island or lock them in a house or something, and just roll camera.

Exec. 2: It wouldn't cost much to do that. Do you really think the plebs would go for anything that inane?

Exec. 1: What do you think?

Exec. 2: How soon can we get started?

I could say more, and maybe some other time I will. But for now I STRONGLY urge you to read this excellent Vanity Fair article by James Walcott on "reality" shows. [see link below] I felt it only slightly flawed in a couple of places where I would have been much more cutting. That aside, it is extremely insightful and superbly written.

And I defy ANYBODY to make a cogent argument that undercuts Walcott's position.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/12/wolcott-200912

Take care...and stop watching!
Adrian Zupp
IF YOU FOUND THIS POST INTERESTING you might want to check out TV -- PT. 2: WHY TV MATTERS.