Sunday, April 17, 2011

You Can Fool Dumb People All of the Time



American college students, bored housewives, and elderly couples without a life are now in mourning across the country.  Afternoons will soon be filled with the reality of "real" lives instead of the drama of soap operas.  No, I do not really care.  I was addicted to soaps back in college and later when stuck staying at home with babies.  This was kind of stupid watching these serial dramas, since it was all that romance and hot body action that resulted in my being confined at home with diapers, humans that could not yet talk, and slow afternoons that were perfect for soap operas in the first place.

Now it is my understanding that today's economics have driven the daytime entertainment programming industry in a new direction so that now Americans will be watching real people 'act' out their lives instead of actors telling stories written by writers.  These 'real' people will be lousy at their jobs because their lives are filled with strife, arguments, sex, break-ups, alcohol, self-doubt, and all while wearing impractical clothes in the worst taste possible.  But some of these 'real' people will break out into more than 15 minutes of fame.  And if their enhanced cleavage holds up, and their hair stays thick and their mouth doesn't betray them, they may even get to give a college graduation address or two or perhaps write a book on why we should not make all the mistakes they have made in their pathetic little lives...sorry, my must be my envy.  Their public advice will not be free, but it will certainly not be worth what they are paid.  They will make six figure incomes while teachers and fire fighters and policemen and soldiers who lead honest lives will struggle to put food on the table.  Daytime reality stars will tell boring stories while real writers will struggle for the attention span of mediocre American minds on independent channels.  But the primary point is that reality stars will not make the humongous salaries of real actors (like that wonderful talent Charlie Sheen who milked his production studio dry...must have been that union he belonged to.)

Watching these reality shows will emphasize the worst behaviors and character flaws that can be found in our society.  They will be excellent examples of what not to do if you are watching with your teenagers.  Real reality would be boring to watch as it might involve intelligent people with mature ideas and cooperative relationships muddle through their days.  "Reality television' is an oxymoron like Fox's "Fair and Balanced" news programs.

For all of those who think American culture is now stagnating in a swamp of mediocre stimulation, it gives me no pleasure to agree with you.

16 comments:

  1. LOL....OKOK. Who am I to argue.

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  2. I absolutely refuse to watch reality shows. And I find the only shows worth watching are on PBS. With the exception of NCIS ;-).

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  3. I'm one who hasn't had a tv in many years. I do watch the occasional program or news story on the internet. But no "reality" tv, I got lots better stuff to do, doing nothing is better.

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  4. We watch mostly Netflix or cable movies when it's not news. I have never seen the reality shows but what i have read shocks me that they are out there and that people would do stuff like that or even watch it. I have been told there are some good series but so far haven't tried any of them. I am not good at remembering when things are on.

    Like you, I watched soap operas as a kid, enjoyed them when my children were small and then came the day when one of the female characters wanted her boyfriend to have sex with her-- to make her a woman and I realized my little daughter was going to be hearing that if I kept watching it. It was the end for me and I never went back.

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  5. excellent post, Tabor! you have hit a nail directly on the head. for the life of me, i cannot find what's "real" in reality TV and shudder to think that some might think what happens on those shows is a good example of what should happen in their own lives. what are we doing to ourselves???

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  6. Had a girlfriend in HS that was so hooked on her soaps that she arranged her schedule so that she could go home for lunch & watch it. Not for me, there were always to many chores to be done. Besides that I never could see the point. Same for reality TV...what a wasteland...

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  7. reality TV is one of the main reasons i am happy that i've never owned a TV. but that said, the rise of the teaparty, which is occurring alongside the rise in reality TV may not be a coincidence. it's part of the ongoing effort known as the st00pidification of america -- another achievement that americans are insanely proud of.

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  8. Definitely enough said!! Sigh!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  9. I agree with you and we are in a rather sad state with "reality" tv an indication of our cultural evolution.

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  11. Growing up on a farm, I never watched a soap opera because there wasn't the chance, and now I feel like I have missed out on an iconic American experience. Does reading a junky book count?
    You have illustrated your point with a fantastic photo; who is that?

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  12. Great post
    I rarely watch TV
    Never did...
    Usually get news on computer
    But I am probably different

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  13. O dear, but luckily nobody forces you to watch these morons.

    'Reality' is all the rage here too, but I have no idea of the actual programme content. I don't suppose it will be boring; don't the messiest people with the biggest and nastiest problems get chosen?

    We can all sit and shiver deliciously at 'Them' and 'Their' foul doings.

    Or maybe not. Like you said.

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  14. I don't watch TV at all. When I was a kid I used to listen to soap operas on the radio (I'm that old) if for some reason I was home from school in winter. If the weather was good in the summer I much preferred to be outside.

    But my cousin, whom I dearly love, in New Zealand and her husband watch all sorts of stuff on the TV every day. I just puzzles me that intelligent people want to do that, but they are not sophisticated even though they are smart in many ways. I just haven't got it figured out.

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  15. Thanks for your comment today. I plan to find all the photos I have of Cam and scan them to her children. I was pleased that one of the best and newest photos of her at the visitation was one I had taken in my kitchen two years ago.

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  16. The old saying that "television will rot your brain" has never been more true than it is these days. Reality shows don't actually bother me, it is in most cases the content and subject matter that does. The glamorization of bad behavior and poor values saddens me.

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