Great article. So many of the problems of this country stem from our decline in civic capital or the moral fabric of the nation. A nation with a physically, intellectually, and morally weakened population can only accomplish so much.
It's a dramatically under-discussed root cause of many of our problems as a society.
"A country cannot stay healthy when its people are sick. Public life reflects private appetite. Culture shapes character. Character shapes politics. Politics then becomes a mirror with a voting booth attached. Therefore, moral decline is a cardinal political issue."
A brief refutation of Libertarianism, defined as Liberty being the chief and only end of politics. Perhaps now that we are here, at the end, this is easier to see and understand than in earlier times. Despite the moral confusion and fog of our day, it is becoming clearer and clearer that something has gone very wrong with our society and civilization.
Well put. Part of a much larger scheme to humiliate and degrade the native born to make them subservient, to make them slaves to vice. Now, those same forces (the ones that brought us Springer, widespread drug use, cultural decay, the porn industry, and foreign invasions) will just steal more directly through the proliferation of gambling apps and websites. It’s a dopamine-ridden castration process. Twenty years ago it was Jerry Springer; now it’s Dave Portnoy and co.
I never did like Reality TV. If anything it was utterly unrealistic in the display. Men not taking care of their families, men beating women, the "and the tests show ... it's not you baby," are idiotic.
I grew up with my grandfather calling TV the Boob-tube, or idiot box and it hasn't gotten any better since the 60s.
I saw the headline and wondered. I looked his bio up on wiki and yes indeed true to form he was a member of the tribe.I don't want to say “every single time” but the formula does have predictive insight.
“Well was the camera originally named obscura. It is the ego's very focus, with all the narcissism of the human race concentrated into its tiny aperture. It advances upon one in a television studio like some ferocious monster, ravening and bloodshot eyed. Of all the inventions of our time it is likely to prove the most destructive. Whereas nuclear power can only reduce us and our world to a cinder, the camera grinds us down to spiritual dust so fine that a puff of wind scatters it, leaving nothing behind.”—Malcolm Muggeridge
One the reality shows widely held up as the best is "Canada's Worst Driver", a show about terrible inept Canadians' who are put through a series of challenges with the goal of improving their driving. (There's still a lot of 'money shots', given most of the contestants have emotional hangups about driving)
Its' a few seasons in when the showrunners want MORE DRAMA that the show becomes much less about driving, & therefore much less interesting.
Great article. So many of the problems of this country stem from our decline in civic capital or the moral fabric of the nation. A nation with a physically, intellectually, and morally weakened population can only accomplish so much.
It's a dramatically under-discussed root cause of many of our problems as a society.
Absolutely! Well said
"A country cannot stay healthy when its people are sick. Public life reflects private appetite. Culture shapes character. Character shapes politics. Politics then becomes a mirror with a voting booth attached. Therefore, moral decline is a cardinal political issue."
A brief refutation of Libertarianism, defined as Liberty being the chief and only end of politics. Perhaps now that we are here, at the end, this is easier to see and understand than in earlier times. Despite the moral confusion and fog of our day, it is becoming clearer and clearer that something has gone very wrong with our society and civilization.
👏👏 this article needs a broader audience as it’s a huge problem. Expand it to include “reality tv” and there’s a full book.
Thank you!
If there is anyone you know who would be interested in it, I would very much appreciate you sharing it with them
“Familiarity is the solvent of disgust” - Worth remembering
Well put. Part of a much larger scheme to humiliate and degrade the native born to make them subservient, to make them slaves to vice. Now, those same forces (the ones that brought us Springer, widespread drug use, cultural decay, the porn industry, and foreign invasions) will just steal more directly through the proliferation of gambling apps and websites. It’s a dopamine-ridden castration process. Twenty years ago it was Jerry Springer; now it’s Dave Portnoy and co.
Absolutely. Very true
I never did like Reality TV. If anything it was utterly unrealistic in the display. Men not taking care of their families, men beating women, the "and the tests show ... it's not you baby," are idiotic.
I grew up with my grandfather calling TV the Boob-tube, or idiot box and it hasn't gotten any better since the 60s.
Brilliantly written
@Gene Botkin did a really good job
I saw the headline and wondered. I looked his bio up on wiki and yes indeed true to form he was a member of the tribe.I don't want to say “every single time” but the formula does have predictive insight.
“Well was the camera originally named obscura. It is the ego's very focus, with all the narcissism of the human race concentrated into its tiny aperture. It advances upon one in a television studio like some ferocious monster, ravening and bloodshot eyed. Of all the inventions of our time it is likely to prove the most destructive. Whereas nuclear power can only reduce us and our world to a cinder, the camera grinds us down to spiritual dust so fine that a puff of wind scatters it, leaving nothing behind.”—Malcolm Muggeridge
I disagree with Gene at times but this was a banger
One the reality shows widely held up as the best is "Canada's Worst Driver", a show about terrible inept Canadians' who are put through a series of challenges with the goal of improving their driving. (There's still a lot of 'money shots', given most of the contestants have emotional hangups about driving)
Its' a few seasons in when the showrunners want MORE DRAMA that the show becomes much less about driving, & therefore much less interesting.
Before Jerry Springer, there was Allen Funt.