TV political debates. The ultimate Reality TV.

Survivor, the reality TV show has more to do with today’s politics than politics has to do with real reality.  But we are not talking about reality as Middle American witness in his or her own day-to-day survival.  Go to school, go to work, eat, sleep, pay bills, etc. 

No, not at all. But, politics has more to do with the tribal survival pursuits as seen on TV’s Reality shows.  Tribal, Bazaar, cutthroat, demeaning, and even distorting.  All just to survive.  Just to win at politics.  Winning at any cost.  Winning just to win.  Not to create a better world.  But, “Winning is the only thing.”

But my premise is, what we see on the Nightly News is very much influenced by most of the current crop of Reality TV Shows.  Plus also being influenced by scores of ‘Sitcoms,’ which besmirch subjugated characters just to get in a cheap shot punch line.  Almost always zinging a lowly character at the expense of his or her reputation.  Very much like today’s politics.  Survivor and politics often blending with each other.

Thus making today’s politics our biggest and best Reality TV show.  Blatant disregard for anybody’s position or reputation.  And for sure, the President being the prime target for many opposing politician’s disdain or wrath.  Reducing the President’s persona down to that of a humiliated cast off member of survivor.  Voted of the Island by tribal bullies.  Who needs a President anyway?

Nonetheless, we have watched so many Reality TV shows that the style of politics we see on TV debates and political Ads is really what we expect and want.  I’m almost sure political consultants advise their clients to take on the survivor model since it is so popular.  Our expectations are for dirty nasty contentious politics.  Uncivil Civil War.  We know no other.  So if you have complaint of how campaigns are run, just blame ourselves for watching too much Reality TV.  What you see is what we have gotten.  Survival of the fittest.  Or, survival of the bazaar.  And, Bazaarness is what sells TV advertising.