It's that time again! Every four years, my favorite reality show makes it's way around once again. I'll admit, it is more of a guilty pleasure as there far-and-away characters, resembling in no way a normal life, argue and bicker back and forth. I do believe that those are the best shows: those with "regular people"...just the best. I mean, you listen to the talk and just can't help but wonder who they think they're resonating with. And isn't that perhaps one of the best things about reality TV? We get to watch these people, these regular joes, televise their exploits, and the irony is that they somehow maintain the idea that they are just like everyone else, while those of us back here on earth watch and shake our heads. With the exception of those that actually believe some of the things these characters are saying (there's always a few), the rest of us rush home from work, hastily drop our bags and coats, and hunker down in front of the TV to tune in, trying to not miss a single beat.
In the last episode, they characters traveled to Florida to hash out some differences, and what an episode that made for! Such things as "facts" or "real numbers" somehow don't actually apply. The back-and-forth "It's true" "No it's not" "It absolutely is", paired with subtle as well as not-so-tongue-in-cheek digs and insults hurled back and forth... It's like children, going back and forth as the host of the show sits impotently by, like a downtrodden parent who's lost control of their kids.
I mean really. Where do these people come from? Where do they get their "facts"? With whom do they believe they're resonating? And the best part is, I was watching reruns of episodes from 30 some-odd years ago, and their arguments were about the same things! It's like 'Survivor': every week, every season, we tune in to see who's the backstabber, who's allying with whom, and who's getting voted off. Every season is like a mild repeat of the very same issues that previously surfaced last season. All that seems to change (and the same holds true for American Idol, Jersey Shore, and, admittedly, those are the only ones I can name...) is the faces of the competitors. The only difference is that none of us can possibly imagine watching Jersey Shore intermittently for 30 years. At some point, people should grow out of it.
One-time contestants, back in 1980, had a great episode wherein contestants went back and forth over jobs, unemployment, military spending, taxes...nice to see how far we've come, eh? And in this day and age, the audience seems to be more polarized by the mantle their contestants has donned over what they're saying. There is a "right" and a "wrong", a difference that appears to based more on truth than "fact". Alliances are a sure-fire way to lose ground. "Compromise" is the latest four-letter word. Everyone is against outsourcing and off-shoring, and no one (yet everyone) has contributed to both. Both sides are cutting our access to healthcare, Medicaid, and Medicare, yet both sides are actively protecting them. Neither side (yet both sides) are raising taxes. Everyone is somehow both for and against women. Everyone is both for and against job creation. See where I'm going with this?
Welcome to the future. Welcome to numbers and figures that only exist if we want them to. Where data and facts are hotly debated and even open to interpretation. There is no such thing as a number anymore. Here's a list...choose your favorite and laud it as FACT. Everyone else is WRONG.
Oh, and don't forget to vote today. I hear it's the most important election of our lives. But don't worry. In four years, it will be the most important election once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment