A TV Rant
A box simulates reality.
We crave more of it.
Distraction anybody? Over here, over here — distractions for sale. We’ll make you pay for it all. And you’ll want more to fuck yourself up even more: now and later — ad infinitum.
The government leased the airwaves to the Mainstream Media or MSM when there were only 3 broadcast networks: CBS, NBC and ABC with the caveat of providing 30 minutes of network news every evening. Later came PBS.
Broadcast meant it was free to the public.
HOLD ON wait a minute, what about commercials? So here we are watching “free tv” and getting enslaved by commercials, so not free.
Then comes cable. A foolish idea I thought, why pay twice for a free broadcast service? But we did and the phrase rang out from the people “thousands of channels and nothing to watch”.
Before Streaming (TV) the pabulum of “nothing to watch” filled the majority of screens:
· Westerns and Cop shows
· Sit Coms
· Game shows
· Rom Coms
· Dramas so called — Doctors, Lawyers, etc.
· News magazines
· Soap Operas (day) and later night or primetime
· Cartoons
· Adventure shows
· Kid shows
· Movies
· Documentaries
· Science shows
· Sports
And later:
· Reality tv
· Celebrity reality tv
· Stand-up Comedy
And now streaming, and for a little extra money- no commercials. And yet — “thousands of shows and nothing to watch”.
Wow and Binging
Let’s face it we’re fucked. Free broadcast television with commercials — pay for it. Cable charge for it and commercials pay for it. Streaming television on devices and computers a double triple shot: buy a computer or smart phone pay for it, get a ISP or cell phone network pay for it, and fucking commercials on YouTube and in some streaming platforms pay for it, pay extra for commercial free. What’s so fucking free about that?
And who needs more distraction? Well it’s the opiate of the peoples. Welcome to free prison.
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And a nod to Alan Watts
