have taken on the sensationalism of Hollywood romances. Clinton, Edwards, Palin...to name a few. I wish politics were politics and Hollywood was Hollywood and we knew how to keep the two separate.
So as I was posting that comment the time read 1:45PM and I'm thinking "what?! It's 4:45..is my computer broken? *looks to the corner of the screen....yup it's 4:45* Oh yeah, this is Cali time" :)
'ZigZackly. Sometimes, I think, the trouble is... It's all for show. I remember, that when Palin got flack for her "wardrobe", it was a reminder of when the current prime-minister of Canada got started on the road to our top office. People gave him flack for hiring a fashion consultant. But you know what? The Reality-TV-Show that is Politics demands that you market yourself as a talking head who wears clothing carefully chosen by a team of experts. And if a guy (like Mr Harper in Canada) had to check his cable-knit sweaters at the door to the political machine, then Sarah Palin (as a woman) was facing an even more up-hill battle against those who would see her fail. ("Shockingly", it was mostly women gunning for her. "Shocked! I'm SO shocked!") . The machine takes human beings in, and spits out Politicians.
I looked up this Calvin and Hobbes strip just now:
Calvin: Doesn't it seem like everybody just shouts at each other nowadays? I think it's because conflict is drama, drama is entertaining, and entertainment is marketable. Finding consensus and common ground is DULL! Nobody wants to watch a civilized discussion that acknowledges ambiguity and complexity. We want to see fireworks! We want the sense of solidarity and identity that comes from having our interests narrowed and exploited by like-minded zealots! Talk show hosts, political candidates, news programs, special interest groups... they all become successful by reducing debates to the level of shouted rage. Nothing gets solved, but we're all entertained. Hobbes: Hmm, you may be right.
I'd like to Second this Motion :)
ReplyDeleteSo as I was posting that comment the time read 1:45PM and I'm thinking "what?! It's 4:45..is my computer broken? *looks to the corner of the screen....yup it's 4:45* Oh yeah, this is Cali time" :)
ReplyDelete'ZigZackly. Sometimes, I think, the trouble is... It's all for show. I remember, that when Palin got flack for her "wardrobe", it was a reminder of when the current prime-minister of Canada got started on the road to our top office. People gave him flack for hiring a fashion consultant. But you know what? The Reality-TV-Show that is Politics demands that you market yourself as a talking head who wears clothing carefully chosen by a team of experts. And if a guy (like Mr Harper in Canada) had to check his cable-knit sweaters at the door to the political machine, then Sarah Palin (as a woman) was facing an even more up-hill battle against those who would see her fail. ("Shockingly", it was mostly women gunning for her. "Shocked! I'm SO shocked!") . The machine takes human beings in, and spits out Politicians.
ReplyDeleteW
I looked up this Calvin and Hobbes strip just now:
ReplyDeleteCalvin:
Doesn't it seem like everybody just shouts at each other nowadays?
I think it's because conflict is drama, drama is entertaining, and entertainment is marketable.
Finding consensus and common ground is DULL! Nobody wants to watch a civilized discussion that acknowledges ambiguity and complexity. We want to see fireworks!
We want the sense of solidarity and identity that comes from having our interests narrowed and exploited by like-minded zealots!
Talk show hosts, political candidates, news programs, special interest groups... they all become successful by reducing debates to the level of shouted rage. Nothing gets solved, but we're all entertained.
Hobbes: Hmm, you may be right.
*reflective silence*
Calvin: What a boring day THIS turned out to be!