How Reality TV Is Teaching Us to Accept the American Police State

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

by John W. Whitehead

....Studies suggest that the more reality TV people watch—and I would posit that it’s all reality TV—the more difficult it becomes to distinguish between what is real and what is carefully crafted farce. Unfortunately, Americans have a voracious appetite for TV entertainment. On average, Americans spend five hours a day watching television. By the time we reach age 65, we’re watching more than 50 hours of television a week, and that number increases as we get older. And reality TV programming consistently captures the largest percentage of TV watchers every season by an almost 2-1 ratio.

As journalist Scott Collins notes, “reality is a cheap way to fill prime time.”

Yet it’s more than just economics at play. As I make clear in my book A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State, we’re being subjected to a masterful sociological experiment in how to dumb down and desensitize a population.

This doesn’t bode well for a citizenry able to sift through masterfully-produced propaganda in order to think critically about the issues of the day. Then again, it can be hard to distinguish between the two. As cognitive scientist Steven Pinker points out, the hallmark of well-told fiction is that the audience can’t tell the difference....

https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/how_reality_tv_is_teaching_us_to_accept_the_american_police_state

[bvf]

1. How long has "Cops" been on the air?

Seems long enough to predate the reality-TV explosion, but I've always regarded it as a toe-in-the-water.

[LiberalElite]

5. Since 1989 nt

[Art_from_Ark]

7. I used to watch COPS because I was hoping that they would actually catch "bad boys"

Instead, it was basically just an arrest-fest of hookers and drug users, with an occasional teenage misfit thrown into the mix, and a little roughing up as well, especially when someone said, "Hey, what are you doing to my friend?"

[LiberalElite]

9. I used to watch it too but stopped a long time ago nt

[Hestia]

2. It's not just reality tv (do NOT watch here), look at old Law & Order episodes. It's been

stunning to watch them and see the erosion of our civil rights all due to "security". CSI is right up there too. Why, it's almost like the NSA/FBI/CIA wrote the scripts.

[blkmusclmachine]

3. https://bluesageacademy.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/wpid-photo-201409232136094.jpg?w=500

?w=500

[kcass1954]

4. I was a Real Housewives loyal watcher from practically the beginning.

In early January, the cable box in the bedroom fritzed out. Mr k watches History Channel and the republican news in the living room. So I always grabbed my hand sewing and watched TV in the bedroom. No more.

I don't miss the crap that I used to watch. I'd like to see the local news in the morning while I get ready for work, but that's about it.

I read the news online, linking many times to read things I see on DU.

I have a new group of quilting buddies, and I've been spending much more time at that hobby. Apparently, I have plenty of time to sew now that I've re-aligned my priorities.

I'm calmer, less aggravated, and generally happier without TV. I'll still go watch a movie in the living room with Mr k so we're spending time together. No more mindless viewing for me.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. Good for you.

You're quietly doing something I believe could be a first very important
step towards peaceful revolution in this country -- turning off
the electronic 24/7 propaganda box.

If only the rest of the nation would follow your example.

Best to you. Thanks for posting.

[Manifest Destiny]

8. Excellent article.

I have seen this has been going on for quite some time, sadly. This is what the US has now become. A dumbed down militarized state.