Reality Or Real Reality, Take Your Pick
Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011
by Michael Ramzy
delusionthread.com
Every now and then I wonder what other people think about on a daily basis. Not often, not even sometimes, but every now and then. I think I must be crazy since I don't have the addiction to reality television or trivialities many seem to. For example, I went to the barber shop this morning and the first thing out of the barber's mouth is this:
"Wow," I said, not interested. "Which president?"
"Ours! Mr. Obama."
"Oh," I replied, still not caring one way or another. I hadn't really thought of how much of an issue this was, yet here was my Chinese barber telling me all about it. "I thought he was an American."
"Oh, sure, but you know," he said, chopping my hair, "it's Trump."
"Trump? You mean the zillionaire?"
"Oh yes! He called out the president and now the president has to respond."
I thought about that for a minute, wondering first who would actually 'call out' the president, then wondering why the president would waste time on something like this. I mean, we all know we live in the Utopia known as the United States, but we do have some issues that need attention.
Or do we?
I wondered about that all the way home, wondered where the priorities are these days. Not of Mr. Obama, who probably felt he had to answer these allegations of his birth (he shouldn't have felt that way, actually, but that's another story), but of all of us. We all know we have an incredible burden of debt, we all know gas prices are going through the roof for no reason, and we all know al Queda and other groups are still out there, waiting. And yet, we are consumed with other 'realities' which, honestly, don't make one difference in life (or our own lives in particular). For example:
First Reality: There is a Royal Wedding Friday. That's right, and apparently it is so important the nightly news anchors (those who are left) and most cable news shows are 'live from London' this week. Big News, right? Kate and William. Will he kiss her? What kind of rings are they going to have? Is the Queen going to be there? And we care . . . why?
First Real Reality: The gas station near my house lists regular unleaded at $3.68 a gallon. That is almost a dollar more than just three months ago. Our elected employees say this is to be expected, that there is no 'silver bullet' to fixing this 'problem'. Sure there is: there is actually a glut of oil right now. That, coupled with the decreased demand, means it is speculation which is driving the prices, not market forces. End speculation, and you end the problem. The oil companies are probably not believing their good luck right now.
Second Reality: The president is an American citizen. To some, this is a revelation. To most of us (I hope), this is another contrived story to take our eyes off the ball. The ball, in this case, is the Real Story, which is . . .
Second Real Reality: the debt is becoming so massive, no amount of talk or debate or town hall meetings will solve the problem. What is needed are tax increases and cuts in spending - real cuts: Medicare and Defense. Along with this real reality is the fact no politician in this country will recommend tax increases or cuts in Medicare or Defense. The real reality is we all, deep down, know how to fix this problem.
Third Reality: A Reality TV star is worth over 100 million dollars. I don't remember her name, yet apparently some 'star' has parlayed her 'reality show' (which, as we all probably think, is scripted) into a fortune. I get enough reality from the news, and yet even there it is hard to discern between reality and real reality.
Third Real Reality: al Queda is still out there, waiting. Sure, we don't hear much about Iraq or Afghanistan any more since we have a Democratic president, but the threat is still there. If they play their cards right (I think card-playing is allowed in their perverted version of Islam, yet don't quote me on that one), one day they'll again catch us with our pants down, probably glued to the television.
We don't hear about terrorism anymore (remember the outcry over Guantanamo? Yep, it's still there and still open for business) and since we don't hear about it somehow that makes it go away. This is dangerous for us as a people, of course, yet to be expected. I mean, we have so much reality around us, from people cooking on television to living on an island without prepared food or water (except for the crew, of course), to some kids in New Jersey wondering what the Situation is, to the strange lives of some talentless tarts related to Bruce Jenner.
After all, we have all the reality we want. We don't want to think about those real issues, that real reality. We won't think about it until it bites us in the end. Then, of course, to take our minds off of it, we'll turn to the safety of reality on television.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Sounds more like "Ripley's Believe It or Not" than reality tv to me. hehe When I was growing up they had laws against price gouging, now they call it speculation and fascist America gets to go merrily on their way to the bank. There are laws, as pitiful as they may be, to restrict abuse of this practice, but the government looks the other way as long as they can to help fill the campaign coffers. Eventually they shout, "we are here to save you from those evil speculators, behold of my glory and go ye shall to the voting booth hence, and show us your favor as we have smitten the dragon which hath tortured thee!" And hence the people went, to show their favor for the exalted one which had saved them. The EndNicely put. I think this time the jig is up, though. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Yes we are often told to face reality however what can we do if we don't like what we see as reality?We can (and should) work to change that reality. The government makes the laws, and now the government is saying it can do nothing about high gas prices. If the people we elected can't do the job, we should perhaps give them other job opportunities. Thanks as always for the input, sir.
Hi Michael.
I too get enough reality from real life and don't need "realty TV" to fill in any gaps.
Great article!
Hugs,
DianneThanks very much. I guess I should probably watch more than 1 minute of reality television in order to become 'hooked' like so many others, yet I just can't see myself with that much time to waste. Thanks again.
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