Opium of the Masses

Extremist Christian Talibinists aside, today’s true opium of the masses is the Industrial Entertainment Complex. This encompasses Hollywood films, television, videogames, and sports.

Believe me, I’m as much a child of pop culture and a consumer of entertainment as the next person. But when one considers the amount of money made and spent on these industries, and the amount of time devoted to such pursuits by consumers, it certainly calls into question American priorities and values.

I am writing this the day of the New England Patriots – New York Giants football game, as the Pats attempt to go 16–0. Although I’m interested in the outcome, I was amazed by the amount of exhaustive coverage the game has been receiving, similar to the kind of all-day coverage of the SuperBowl and the Academy Awards.

I went through a phase several seasons ago where I followed pro football. I always was content to simply watch the games and track what was going on through the sports section. But I always thought that the coverage the games received on gameday was ridiculous, obvious, and overkills, with subscriber-only channels and services for the truly sports-obsessed.

I similarly stopped watching the Oscars for the same reasons. In view of the SAG Awards, the Director’s Guild Awardes, the Golden Globes, etc ., there has been for me a saturation of award shows±basically a place for Hollywood to self-promote and to pat themselves on the back.

It’s a larger reflection of the fact that we’re a celebrity-obsessed culture. Athletes and top tier entertainers get paid way more than what they do merits—but as much as people complain about it, these out-of-kilter paydays are the result of a society that constantly craves to be diverted and entertained. I’m sure that’s to the relief of an Administration that prefers a disengaged public that doesn’t ask questions and wants to be able to fight terror and wage wars without being asked to pay new taxes or make any inconvenient sacrifices.