I commented in the introduction to a poem once, 'We are all to blame for the world we have created' ('Kingdom of the Blind' for those that wish a reference). Of course, some are more to blame than others, since their job seems to be to deflect all responsibility toward others and not themselves. The worst offenders are, to my jaded eyes at least:
1) Hollywood: They manufacture 'entertainment' (some of it good) and raise otherwise troubled people (actors) to the level of small gods, and never accept responsibility for their conduct and perception they give off to the world. But they will buy you off if they can, especially if it is the crisis du jour or ribbon of the month.
2) Media: They create the news that is fit to print or report without clue or fact, instead reporting 'good facts' and making them sound like 'true facts' (Babylon 5 fans should get that reference :) Indeed, it is the modern world of parasitic journalism that skews perceptions so badly that one cannot even stomach watching, reading or listening to these modern courtiers begging for the leftover favors from kings.
3) Advertising Executives: What? They are only the messengers, proving to the world what really sells and what we really want to be sold. I mean, who wouldn't want a body spray that will cause dozens of hot women to assault you randomly on the street, in grocery stores, or secluded island locales? And they would still sell tobacco on the air if they could... heck, they would sell nukes for air time if it were legal. Me, I would rather have the nuke than body spray, but I am a war-mongering apocalyptic that way :)
4) People: We're idiots to consume all the hype we are fed, and we just love to watch it all fall apart. The average person would rather sit around and watch the latest celebrity scandal, 'Lost' (admittedly a good show at times), 'Grey's Anatomy', 'Desperate Housewives' (hmm, maybe ABC is to blame), 'Surviving Dancing With Surreal American Road Rage Real World White Rapper OC Idol'... and live coverage of people dying than face reality. Escapism, thou art our altar upon we prostrate ourselves... and I am as much to blame too. I would rather roll dice or write or game... anything but listen to the drone and buzz of what we have created.
Needless to say, some of this was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but far too much of it is sad and true. Call it a little of both and take it as what you will, and perhaps a preview of things to come (a very, very distilled version of some essays/writing for the future).
C.
btw, I failed purposely to include governments... I didn't want to be too obvious :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
yup. we let this happen. guilty as charged.
Jedimerc,
This is why I only watch four hours of t.v a month. I could care less about celebrities and their personal scandals.
Just yesterday I had four teenage boys in my house all with Axe body spray on...phew, gag, cough! Enough already =)
Have a great weekend.
Axe body spray ARGH!
Don't forget...the Ad Exes...Hollywood etc are the ones that ruin the body image of most American women.
quite a rant and sadly true. I'm glad you included no 4. we are the ultimate culprits. Hollywood, the media, advertisers, they all give us what we want. if people weren't interested in celebrity scandal, they would stop reporting it, if people weren't interested in high-drama, voyueristic shows like big brother and desperate housewives, etc, they'd stop making them. Ad excecs are the worst of the lot however, they don't just give us what we want, they feed off our fears and insecurities and dreams to make us think we want something that we don't really need, or that we should be something that we aren't.
kate: of course, the collective we in many ways, for as individuals we can only do so much, at least that is what we are told... or perhaps when we try and cause change, people don't listen anymore. (or they listen to the latest fad or theory)
rain: I had a decent weekend (except at the end), and I try and limit my tv to specific shows and thats about it.
mistress: Oh yeah, they deserve to be on the list... but as long as there has been media, they have been trying to influence the body image of women, even longer really, if you look at some of the Late Medieval and Renaissance fashions.
rav'n: I couldn't agree more... and I admit my culpability at times as well.
Post a Comment