In search of the lowest common denominator

I remember when The Learning Channel, A & E, and even occasionally the networks,  used to produce and air meaningful television. That illusion is dead and the decision that killed it was the decision to show the "Honey Boo-Boo show." For those of you fortunate enough to have no idea regarding the subject of this rant, warning: save yourself and look no further. This "show"  featured a thoroughly repulsive six year old troll from Georgia and her equally grotesque supporting cast of inbred family members. My introduction to this was my inadvertent following of an "interesting" link on my news page that took me to "Toddlers and Tiaras," another TLC show exploiting the already exploitative world of child beauty pageants.

Apparently, not satisfied with creating programming that exemplifies  Dante's  third and fourth levels of hell (greed and gluttony, as exemplified by "The Apprentice" and   Fox's late, unlamented "The Glutton Bowl")  we moved on down the list to levels eight and nine, fraud and treachery, all neatly wrapped up in , among others, "The real Housewives of (apparently anywhere)" Toss in the hefty dose of racism, sexism  and unhealthy addiction to camouflage clothing  that is "Duck Dynasty, " and the nether regions are filling up rapidly.

Pundits lament America's 27th place academic standing in the world. All the conservatives, of course blame teachers' unions (for not teaching them "Creation 'Science' " ???!!!). To worsen the reality, innovative teachers are sometimes punished for utilizing more creative ways to get students to think and actually express themselves in writing. What arrant bullshit! When kids come to school having been raised on mindless garbage, real education becomes very difficult. The dumbing down of America begins at home, not in the classroom. The very same advertisers who pay the pundits and critics also cultivate the cult of the mind numbingly stupid and vacuous with tripe such as "Toddlers and Tiaras," " Dance Moms," "Big Smo'", "Hillbilly Handfishin' " and the like. Really?? This is all you got?

Merely a small sampling of the vapid human detritus who populate Reality Television. Of course the real blame goes to TV executives who figured out that simply showcasing the behavior of persons of marginal mental acuity, morals , or even better, both, was far cheaper than hiring writers, directors and/or actors to do real drama!    

When more young adults (actually older adults as well)  can identify any "housewife" of "anywhere" and every  datum related to things Kardashian than can identify any member of  the U.S. Supreme Court, I smell decay in the wind. I recently downloaded and am re-watching the BBC series "Civilisation - A Personal Perspective with Kenneth Clark." We certainly have come a long way in the wrong direction since its original airing. I  lament the loss of programming of this kind. I'd write more, but it's time for "Jersey Shore." This week Snooki's s going to demonstrate how to become a media personality without even a vestige of discernible talent other than fecundity.  I can barely wait!