Television Is A Window On Society

[AdvancingTime]

I recently found myself drawn to and watching a show about real estate and home-buyers in search of their "dream house". As I pondered my attraction to this massive time waster I realized it was in a way a reflection on the attitudes of society or what we might refer to as the masses.

Many times on these shows I heard the phrase, "that has to go, I couldn't live with that." Sadly, these references were about the color of a granite counter-top or the fact the appliances were not stainless steel. It seems to me buying a house for $300,000 then replacing a $8,000 three year old counter-top hinges on the edge of insanity.

One thing my viewing showed as I put this diversion behind me and shut off the television was that at times it appeared the less deserving a person was the more demanding and arrogant they became. It was as if a some strange perverse reverse law of physics had locked hold of their personality. The article below delves deeper into the attitude of the many people who act so entitled.

http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2015/05/television-as-window-on-society.html

 

[Pogo]

Interesting stuff. Although one is inclined to wonder if he's missing the forest for its trees. What he cites in real estate examples....

Another phrase that roused my ire was "oh, this is really dated."sometimes this statement was directed at a house built only ten years ago.This was often followed by "it will have to be totally gutted." All I can say is God bless our throw away society. With many people across the globe living in poverty and squalor sometimes without plumbing, clean water, and even dirt floors this begins to become surreal.
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--- is by no means limited to real estate, but reflective of a commodity-fetish society, where one's self-worth is defined by literally buying things (and then obediently keeping them "updated" even if they still serve their function). A "society hellbent on overindulgence and entitlement" is the inevitable product of that, and ironically, though he sets himself up with a golden chance to make the point but doesn't, the technology of television is absolutely the most effective propaganda tool to effect that value that has ever been created.

 

[blastoff]

Newton Minow was 100% spot-on regarding television.

Couldn't care less what anyone else thought if I decided to rip out $8k of granite I didn't like. My place, my granite, my call, my money. Have a wedgie about it if it'll make you feel good.