I’m proud to be an American. You have to be from somewhere, and of all the options, you could do much worse. However, while there is LOTS to be proud of, the shameful ones seem to expand at an astounding rate! I watched a bit of TV last night – something I haven’t done for a while. Wow. I’m stunned at what is common programming these days.
Just a few gems…
The Bachelor(ette)
I found myself wondering last night – “if they cut out all of the gossip, what would be left?” Sadly, little to nothing. Set aside all the angling for sexual attention if you can. All that is left is chummy contestants who miss no opportunity to stab each other in the back while alone – on national tv. Then, when they do show the main person that the contestants are all vying for, he/she spends all of their time expounding on the strengths and weaknesses of the players. Now, THAT is what I would look for in a future spouse: someone who gossips – to a national audience! We balk at cultures whose parents choose their spouse. In America, we do it better. We let ABC lineup a couple dozen to choose from. Great standards there.
American Idol
Yikes. The name says it all. We want to make you a star. But not just any star – one that people will idolize. Just oozes with humility. I’ve enjoyed seeing some of the talent on the show in past years, but doesn’t it make you feel a little bit dirty voting for who will be our next idol? (Somebody check with Aaron – see if he has enough gold yet…)
The Apprentice
This is another show I have enjoyed. But is there a more prominent display of greed? People will do just about anything in order to be one of Donald’s underlings so that they have a shot at becoming obscenely rich. There’s a great life goal.
Big Brother
This show is hardly unique, but it’s the first one in its category that I thought of. Who would have ever thought that lust would be a game show? And for those who don’t get enough lurid details to hold them til next week, you can go to their website to watch a stream of their every horrible action. Classy.
Dr. 90210
I accidentally caught this one the other day. It made me sick – and not just because they showed the surgeries. The money and time these people spend on their appearance is staggering. I can’t even imagine it. (Seems like the bible says something about vanity somewhere…
Real Housewives
These women are hardly real. And “housewives”? I don’t think so. My wife does more when she is napping than these women do on t heir best day. This show is typical of many. Just a parade of excess. Which brings me to my favorite.
Downfall
I haven’t seen this one myself. Only heard of it last night when I saw the commercial. I couldn’t find the exact commercial, so I posted a different one below. It gives you the idea. The premise as I understand it is that people are asked trivia questions in pursuit of extravagant prizes. If they get the questions right, they win them. If they get the answer wrong, said prizes are pushed from a 10-story building. The commercial I saw last night showed cars, tvs, grand pianos, washing machines, etc. all plummeting to their doom. Don’t get me wrong – I think blowing stuff up is cool. I used to love watching them drop stuff on Letterman’s show. But not so much anymore. When I saw this commercial it made me very sad. Almost sick. How much money was blown in that 30-second spot, merely for our amusement? We are being entertained by destruction – not just of the products and the work that went into making them, but also the destruction of the potential that those items or the money spent on them could have been used for.
This is not a judgmental post. I’ve been known to watch some of these. And I understand their appeal. I honestly could care less what people watch. I suppose this may be a sign of my age. Or an indication that I am somewhat more in tune with what really matters in life than I once was. I am more grieved than anything. It is difficult to see the wastefulness, lust, greed, and other excesses on parade. So, am I proud to be an American? Sure. But these days, it’s getting tough to find things in America to be proud of.
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