America Dumbs Down

[newsmanfan]

I don't mind DrTooth posting here as long as it has to do with the topic at hand which is the dumbing down of America through reality shows. If DrTooth wants to make a thread about politics in the general discussion forum, that's okay with me because it's a new discussion. It's not a point about whether I agree or not. It's about bringing politics into non-political discussions.

Er...sorry...how do you NOT see those as inherently related? Everything is a continuum. Art does not exist in a vacuum but as a response to the culture, values, and issues of the day. Shows are dumbing down BECAUSE a significant and deeply disturbing segment of our populace is clamoring for ANYTHING which makes them, the below-average Joe, feel significant -- the same reason people without jobs support the politicians who will make SURE those jobs move to Taiwan for the profit of the CEOs. It IS all related. Sorry.
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[Bannanasketch]

Er...sorry...how do you NOT see those as inherently related? Everything is a continuum. Art does not exist in a vacuum but as a response to the culture, values, and issues of the day. Shows are dumbing down BECAUSE a significant and deeply disturbing segment of our populace is clamoring for ANYTHING which makes them, the below-average Joe, feel significant -- the same reason people without jobs support the politicians who will make SURE those jobs move to Taiwan for the profit of the CEOs. It IS all related. Sorry.
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Y'know, I'm not going to even have this discussion with you. I'm not part of this forum to talk politics. I realize that I'm probably one of a very few conservatives on this site, so I ultimately try not to pick fights. I just feel like taking something that isn't political and turning it political isn't right. I mean, isn't that what Fox News did with The Muppets? Yeah, they turned it into a perfectly inoccent movie into a political issue. I feel the same problem is happening with some of the threads here.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I just feel like taking something that isn't political and turning it political isn't right. I mean, isn't that what Fox News did with The Muppets? Yeah, they turned it into a perfectly inoccent movie into a political issue.

Well the thing the Muppets were indeed making oil the bad guy in the film (and more power to them). I don't want to say that's "political" but it is indeed socially relevant. So Fox didn't "turn" the movie "political", they just didn't like what the movie was saying (or at least that one commentator didn't).

 

[Drtooth]

Er...sorry...how do you NOT see those as inherently related? Everything is a continuum. Art does not exist in a vacuum but as a response to the culture, values, and issues of the day. Shows are dumbing down BECAUSE a significant and deeply disturbing segment of our populace is clamoring for ANYTHING which makes them, the below-average Joe, feel significant -- the same reason people without jobs support the politicians who will make SURE those jobs move to Taiwan for the profit of the CEOs. It IS all related. Sorry.

All I'm saying. Sure, there's the other side that's completely stupid and fell for the media's "obesity epidemic" which lead to banning cupcakes in schools, trying to kill Happy Meal toys, destroying Saturday Morning cartoons, and ignoring the actual problems that cause it. They're no better than anyone else. They just want easy, effortless answers to complicated questions without solutions that would make everyone have to work. We want easy solutions to the economy, easy solutions to health, easy solutions to get rich quick schemes... and when we don't we blame everyone but ourselves for wanting easy solutions. There is no long standing solution in life that's easy.

it's our Instant gratification culture. We want everything now because we have electronic gadgets, and get more impatient than Fat Blue does if we have to wait more than a minute.

As for Reality TV, it's DONE its damage. I'm not saying we're getting better or smarter, but there's nothing else reality TV can do that it hasn't already. If they made a real life "Most Dangerous Game," where people hunt each other, maybe... but we're been seeing the dark underbelly of society and laughing at people we aren't since Cops. That was in the 80's. I hate the fact that's still on the air, but America's Most Wanted, a show that proves that television is a powerful medium that can achieve good (Jim Henson's own philosophy) gets canned. The fact that most non-cable reality programming fails to reach an audience, and we're only surviving by standbys (Survivor, Biggest Loser). Fear Factor came back, and quickly disappeared. That's showing signs of improvement.

The only shows I find detrimental are "American Teenage Pregnancy Hootenanny" or whatever it's called, where girls purposely impregnate themselves so they can get on TV. That's what the Octomom and John and Kate Plus 8 did. Shameful, shameful behavior, that.

 

[Bannanasketch]

Well the thing the Muppets were indeed making oil the bad guy in the film (and more power to them). I don't want to say that's "political" but it is indeed socially relevant. So Fox didn't "turn" the movie "political", they just didn't like what the movie was saying (or at least that one commentator didn't).

I disagree. I don't think the movie was political at all. I've seen yours' and Jamie's discussions and I have to say I agree with him. This movie had absolutely no political message whatsoever. Even Tex Richman's intent wasn't even political...

 

[CensoredAlso]

I disagree. I don't think the movie was political at all.

Like I said I don't like using the word political. And it's not even that big a deal in the movie, it's more a minor social comment. But to say oil being the bad guy is simply an innocent coincidence is just a fallacy. This is Hollywood, they are not clamoring to make a pro-oil film any time this century.

The Muppets may never have protested in the streets but they have never been particularly socially conservative. They had a more liberal vibe; not throwing it in your face, but there nonetheless.

Agree to disagree. In any case, the original point was if we don't like the way a discussion is going, we can simply move on. As I am doing below, hehe:

but there's nothing else reality TV can do that it hasn't already.

I just pray you're right, lol.

 

[jvcarroll]

I disagree. I don't think the movie was political at all. I've seen yours' and Jamie's discussions and I have to say I agree with him. This movie had absolutely no political message whatsoever. Even Tex Richman's intent wasn't even political...

I agree. The only message the movie had was that the world needs more Muppets! I guess people see what they want to see.

I expected to see big, black sludgy oil covering our beloved Muppets in one scene along with some smoggy example to illustrate the negative effects of fossil fuels. These were things Jim Henson had been using the Muppets to educate the public about for years on his own and with the Better World Society. Steve's Kermit even lobbied congress a few years ago. The Muppets do have a long history of gentle activism environmental awareness campaigns started by Jim.

I expected to see Bunsen and Beaker using green energy contraptions they had invented and maybe even Kermit giving a green inspired speech. I at least expected someone to make a nod to alternative energy. Instead we get a villain that just happens to be an oil man and the Muppets driving around the world and disobeying seatbelt laws in a gas guzzling vehicle. Again, I guess people see what they want to see. LOL!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Instead we get a villain that just happens to be an oil man...Again, I guess people see what they want to see.

In Hollywood that would never be a "just happens to be."

But I do agree that people see what they want to see. Again, agree to disagree as to what exactly is correct.