Why do people gravitate towards shows, that are designed to dumb them down? When I was a kid, perhaps I was easily duped into believing that wrestling was real. I cheered for my favorite wrestlers. We were too young to accept the fact that it was all a staged affair. That was 57 years ago. I look around and see adults almost my age, racing to the TV on certain nights to watch the various wrestling associations put on their scripted matches. The outcome is predetermined, yet thousands glue themselves to the screen, cheering and screaming for their favorite wrestler.
“Tiger King” / Joe Exotic fiasco
It’s been a long and insidious program, to dumb down the masses through media entertainment. Get them to watch, either through the radical antics or wardrobe, and you seem to have them hooked into watching. Before you know it, they are actually starting to believe in the show. I know many of us don’t watch the unreal reality shows. Which is a good thing, and a credit to our upbringing and education. However, thousands tune (or did) into the “Tiger King” / Joe Exotic fiasco. Sure, he was convicted of trying to hire an FBI agent into killing his rival for $3,000. But what type of network should even glorify an idiot like that. I refer you back to the current state of adults in our nation. He dressed like he was ready to attend some parade in New Orleans and talked funny. Maybe that was the draw to the more simple-minded.
Ahoy there!
Someone correct me if I’m wrong. But years ago I was channel surfing and came across the show about saving the Whales. I watched a small skiff, raft or otherwise small vessel attack and throw Molotov Cocktails onto a ship in an effort to drive them from the fishing waters. Now, am I wrong? Or is that not piracy to attack another vessel with dangerous instruments. I never watched it again.
How about being overly excited about people stranded on an island with no support, yet we forget that they have a camera crew with them. Not to mention medical support and other infrastructure to avoid liability lawsuits from the “actors”. I made fun of it one night and got voted out of the living room, by my mother-in-law. She was so excited to watch Street Outlaws. A show about “illegal” street racing. Now, I could be wrong, but if you’re a producer and provide support of monies to further illegal activities, that might run afoul of FCC or other broadcasting or even the local/county/ or state laws. Assisting in a crime is generally punishable?
Naked and afraid. I sat there one night (I think maybe some of my brains must have been getting mushy) out of morbid curiosity, to see just what it was about. The girl who I think was a homemaker, ultimately had to take care of the big burly guy, who had sat on the beach until he was totally cooked on the head and body with sunburn. She fashioned hats out of leaves and moved him into a makeshift shelter while tending to his burns. The only problem with this script (at least for people with half a brain) was the guy, was introduced as an ex-marine recon soldier. I don’t think he would have sat out in the sun until baked, and rely on a housewife to have survival skills to save him.
Until about six years ago, I didn’t really know what a “Kardashian” was. Apparently having been too busy living under my rock. Yet many of the world follow them like royalty. What do they wear, who are they cheating on. Somewhere along the line, Jerry Springer convinced the simple masses, that his show was real.
Idiocracy
There just doesn’t seem to be any real, quality entertainment now. I challenge those of you who have never seen the movie “Idiocracy” to give it a try. Made in 2006. It took two tries a few years ago to watch it, but I made it through it, and was horrified by how accurate it seems compared to today. It had its funny moments as well. Do give it a good try. Watch how a man tries to rescue the world from 500 years of reality TV.
Private Joe Bauers, the definition of “average American”, is selected by the Pentagon to be the guinea pig for a top-secret hibernation program. Forgotten, he awakes five centuries in the future. He discovers a society so incredibly dumbed down that he’s easily the most intelligent person alive.
IMDB
I hope I haven’t offended anyone, but reality shows are the downfall, at least in my opinion, of the masses.
Comments always welcome.
What so many people are sadly missing, is the fact that TV and Movies = profit making entertainment. Regardless of how it is promoted, it is invariably a business project and should be treated as such, which rather explains the “over the top” drama; the wild display of emotions, and the perceived risk factors. None of that is real … but all of that attracts viewers who, in turn, attract money paying sponsors.
Taking a slight detour …. FOX NEWS! When you are in competition with other news channels, and you are all receiving the same news information, what unique thing can you add to your specific news programming? FOX NEWS obviously decided to make-up their own news, and to focus on Donald Trump was a winner!
Having said that, I don’t suppose the other news stations are/were doing much different. i.e. look for “dirt” and controversy, and you will engage your viewers. Engaged viewers are loyal viewers and the show sponsorship improves.
It must also be acknowledged that any politician (i.e. a person with the self-confidence (and associated ego) to believe that they can run a country better than the last politician, would be ecstatic if the voting population just agreed with everything he/she did without question. The only chance that could ever succeed is if the “voting public” had no concept of what running a country entails. Lack of pertinent education is therefore critical to the agenda of a politician. I suspect that most countries have now achieved that state …… the Greek syndrome for example, wherein the general population would avoid paying taxes at every opportunity, but wanted government hand outs at every opportunity.
Given that so many people cannot control their own finances, it would be delusional to expect them to understand a country’s finances. Greece, I believe, declared potential bankruptcy, and was bailed out by other European countries. They now have a massive debt to pay off!
We should also consider the general state of health of the voters. Obesity is a serious issue, as is the associated rejection of a constructively healthy life-style. It is so easy to sit in front of the TV and watch people having fun, than it is to get off the sofa and actually have some “real” fun! It is much easier to sit and whine and complain about life, than it is to actually do something about it.
In summary, it would appear that technology, together with ego driven (and financially influenced) politics, has gone a long way to creating massive flocks of sheep. The politicians dream!
There is a positive side to our society. There are many people who donate generously to various causes/charities. There are many people who provide a service at no cost to the recipient, and there are many organizations who operate very effectively with volunteer labour. There really are people who care about their health, and are looking to the future with the desire to stay healthy into their later years, and there are people who understand enough about “balancing the books” that they will vote responsibly. There really is so much good in the world but, and very sadly, the “sheep” have no interest in hearing about those people … so they rarely make the news!
That’s my take on it all!
ALL the media outlets, are just that now days. “Media” outlets. They don’t report news, they comment on it and give their opinion.
‘Idiocracy’ is indeed worth watching, if only to see its chillingly accurate portrayal of a future that might arrive much sooner than 500 years.
I refuse to watch any ‘reality’ TV. I call it all ‘Trash TV’. My wife likes to watch a show where people marry strangers, and then have to try to get on with them. It is called ‘Married at first sight’. Then she likes to watch anything to do with real-life medical emergencies and hospital operations, as well as a repulsive American show called ‘Dr Pimple Popper’.
We have a deal. I record all of her shows on the PVR hard drive. Then she watches them when I am in the office blogging, or after I have gone to bed.
There is a lot of wonderful TV to watch over here. Superb dramas, European cop serials with subtitles that have great plots, and many superb documentaries too. But you have to think about those, and nobody seems to want to think while they watch TV these days.
Best wishes, Pete.
I’m glad you liked, Idiocracy. I found it funny and scary.
I saw that Dr. Pimple Popper while surfing through channels one night. didn’t even stay on the channel.
I think the term is ‘escapism’. Anything to escape for ones own reality. I am sure they rose to popularity this year. I will say I have been guilty of watching my share of trash tv over the years.
You’re right, Maggie. It’s an escape for many if only for an hour or so.
Totally agree with you! As my husband likes to say today we have over a gazillion channels to watch but tnere was more to watch back when we only had a very limited amount of channels!
Hi, Joy. I think people were much more mature back when we had only a few channels. I think Bruce Springsteen did the song, “57 channels and nothing on”
4 years ago, I did a post on nothing to watch on TV, you might like it.
https://ronscountry.com/depotblog/57-channels-and-nothin-on/
I loved Idiocracy! Funny, though, how most of assume the idiots are the other guys? Reminds me of the quote “80% of drivers think they are above average drivers.” Maybe, instead of spending time looking at those non-reality shows, we can all take a Master’s Course in critical thinking skills.
Janis, I am so relieved to see many have seen the movie, and enjoyed it. I was afraid of being a minority. Yes, it seems we never recognize ourselves as less than perfect.
I have never understood the fascination of people, like the Kardashians, who are “famous” for being famous. They have never done anything but promote themselves and keep plastic surgeons happy! As for the naked and alone type, I haven’t watched any but take your word for it!
I tuned into that show once after discussing it with someone, that has less expectations of media than I. Just the title alone was enough to let me know it wouldn’t be watched, unless there was the expectation of being able to see some butts or other anatomy. I knew right then, it couldn’t be much to it, and there wasn’t (no pun intended).
Kardashians are a joke, and the athlete who turned himself into a woman (who I’d just as soon forget his name) is just way out of my ballpark. Anything for a dollar, as they say.
They all deserve each other I think.
The only reality shows I like are about cooking and home renovation. Actual reality is more than enough for me. 😉
Those are at least real. If it’s instructional, I find it has value for me. If it is some make believe, low class chef that curses every other word, then I lump it in reality, or unreality shows.
I’ve never seen a reality show.
You have spared yourself of some truly bad acting, Anne. Not to mention an assault on our intelligence of people our age.
I’ve never watched any reality TV shows. I have heard what they are about and it makes no sense to me. Shows like “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” seem to get good ratings, just like “American Idol” or “The Voice” or “Dancing with the Stars” … I don’t feel I am missing anything and should turn the cable back on. I cancelled my cable in 2010. The wrestling and boxing of many decades ago might have been real, but the staged “shows” they have now are silly. I have heard the radio commercials back when big events like “Wrestlemania” came to local sports venues pre-COVID and heard the “trash talk” etc. leading up to the event. It’s all kind of foreign to me. I don’t follow the Kardashians either. Too much money and silliness for me too Ron.
I cancelled my cable about 2 years ago and just stream what I want to watch.
I never watched TV for over ten years, then I got an Amazon Prime subscription so I didn’t have to go to the grocery store for some pantry items and staples during the beginning of the pandemic. So I was happy to discover there were many TV shows, movies, made-for-Amazon movies for the price of my yearly subscription and I could stream them For me who never went to the show nor watched TV in many years, I can now see movies/shows I missed. So a win-win for me, but would be better if I had more time to enjoy it though.
I am definitely in your corner on all this, Ron! Re wrestling, your memories remind me of my first intro to that silly “sport”… being at my grandmother’s house with my family, watching wrestling on TV – Johnny Rougeau, Killer Kowalski, Little Beaver, et al. Somehow even at my young age then – 8, 9, 10 – I knew it wasn’t “real,” but my grandmother was completely taken in. I can hear her now, going “Oy! Oy!” Lol…
I can’t stand any reality shows now. Ironically, though, my son lives in NYC and has been an editor of many such shows – Mob Wives, Breaking Amish, Desperate Housewives of NJ etc. etc. I can only shake my head in despair.
It’s one thing to write them, that’s a job. It’s just when people believe in them that it gets spooky.