Or, as we call it around my house, "The New American Freak Show" @ AMERICAN DIGEST

August 11, 2012

Or, as we call it around my house, "The New American Freak Show"

Posted by gerardvanderleun at August 11, 2012 6:06 AM

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Bring your own irony.

JWM

Posted by: jwm at August 11, 2012 7:05 AM

Mind Destroyers Network.

Posted by: Jewel at August 11, 2012 7:19 AM

This is what PBS will look like when the last of the old folk dies.

Posted by: Pappy at August 11, 2012 9:14 AM

Whatever happened to "Secret Life of Machines" and "Connections"? Sheesh.

Posted by: waltj at August 11, 2012 10:22 AM

In the '80s a friend used to call PBS "The Recovery Channel." Remember that? John Bradshaw and his mobile, and the rise of Co-Dependents Unanimous? 30 years ago this crap gave a whole generation of "women" the message:

"You don't have to grow up. And it's not your fault. Ever."

Not too long after that, Clinton was elected for the first time. Coincidence, or a whole new Democrat voting bloc created by propaganda? You be the judge.

Like the man says, you'll never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American People. And Mencken was an optimist.

Posted by: Rob De Witt at August 11, 2012 11:29 AM

every episode of "Connections" is available on YouTube. In fact, I think all of the James Burke shows (Connections 1,2,3 and The Day the World Changed) are all on YT. YouTube.com/JamesBurkeWeb.

Thanks for mentioning "Secret Life of Machines" I'd forgotten all about it. I'll scour YT for that as well. Almost all of the good shows from TLC, Military, Discovery, etc are on YouTube somewhere. Between Amazon Instant Video, Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube about 90% of anything you can remember is available.

Posted by: Scott M at August 11, 2012 4:04 PM

Bill Jones,

Thanks. Why I don't have a television, in fact.

And to

If I wanted to produce a citizenry like that of the contemporary US, this is the media mix I'd want.

see my earlier comment about what was going on the last time I watched television. And what resulted.

Posted by: Rob De Witt at August 11, 2012 7:07 PM

@ Rob De Witt:
I don't have a TV in the house either. Uterus Cannon? That's a TV show? How can that be anything but nasty? That whole lineup sounds like stuff from A Clockwork Orange. I can see someone strapped down screaming for mercy with his eyelids pinned open.

JWM

Posted by: jwm at August 11, 2012 7:53 PM

Rob De Witt & JWM:
I have a tv but I never watch it. Maybe once in a while to see the weather, but I usually keep it unplugged to save electricity.
I'm thinking of asking Verizon if I can pay them less if they get rid of the tv.
Whenever I attempt to watch it there's nothing worth watching.

Posted by: mjazz at August 11, 2012 8:19 PM

Thanks, Scott. Unfortunately my current job has me in a place where my internet options are limited, so anything beyond a 60-second funny cat video on YT takes forever to download. I'll keep the note on the Burke shows in mind, though, for those times I'm back in the modern world.

Posted by: waltj at August 11, 2012 8:57 PM