Reality TV and the Republican Ethos-- Harper's article

[carolinayellowdog]

by Francine Prose. That's the subtitle; the title is "Voting Democracy Off the Island" which doesn't capture the import as well and since this is not in LBN I hope it's OK to use the subtitle as header instead. This is in the March issue. Here's an incisive quote:

Observant readers may already have noted that the guiding principles to which I've alluded-- flinty individualism, the vision of a zero-sum society in which no one can win unless someone else loses, the conviction that altruism and compassion are signs of folly and weakness, the exaltation of solitary striving above the illusory benefits of cooperative mutual aid, the belief that certain circumstances justify secrecy and deception, the invocation of a reviled common enemy to solidify group loyalty-- are the exact same themes that underlie the rhetoric we have been hearing and continue to hear from the Republican Congress and our current administration.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

1. It's a great article

I watched the first "Survivor" and felt kind of cheated and dirty after watching it, so haven't watched any others. It did feel a lot like Republican politics, actually. Sour and nasty.

[coloradodem2005]

2. Interesting.

Funny with all of their talk about family values, this is what it all boils down to.

I have never liked reality T.V. Because I believe that it brings out the worst in people. That attitude is the reason why. Now I see the connection to the Republican ethos. So that is why many republicans bring out the worst in people too.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

3. Ive noticed at work...

...that the big fans of this show are the right-wing types. Esp a certain Christian guy I work with, which is a bit odd (although I think its more a "watch the freaks" thing with him).

I never watched the show...well...briefly....as the entire premise seemed a bit boring.

[maggrwaggr]

8. I know a lot of women who love these shows

When I first became aware of "The Bachelor" I thought my God, how degrading to women.

But women love it.

It's weird.

I'm a guy, I don't get it at all.

[FizzFuzz]

9. yes tres weird

I don't know what the deal is, but thats not the only example of programming aimed at women that relies on tropes of woman hatred...
take a look at Enquirer and Star magazines (and their ilk)...
Their market is largely women, and the reinforcement of the most hateful stereotypes... the "slut", the "old, ugly woman", the "hate-worthy because she's childless", the "greedy rich woman", "smart but unfeminine egghead woman"

Oh yeah and of course let us not forget their depiction of "good women": ladies who have 10 kids, go to church every Sunday, and pepper their speech with "the good Lord" and "our wonderful president".

:puke:

[DoctorMyEyes]

4. Is it available online?

Or just in hard copy?

[carolinayellowdog]

5. Checked their website, no luck n/t

[Jade Fox]

6. Wow. That one paragraph is pretty amazing.

Years ago when the first Survivor concluded, a co-worker said something
about how the show's success and implied values did not bode well for
the future of our country. I laughed the show off as a fad that was already
past its 15 minutes of fame and would soon disappear off the cultural radar.

Stupid me.

[maggrwaggr]

7. interesting how reality shows are similar to gladiatorial combat

except the violence is emotional rather than physical.

I've worked on a couple of these reality shows and I was appalled at how the producers themselves were sadistic and would sit in the control room and laugh and ridicule the people on the show.

Very hateful stuff.