shootthebandit said:
more and more of our population are being struct down with a zombie virus called "factor-x". If you consider someone to be a zombie look out for these signs: they have a dreadful taste in music, they dont go outside on saturdays and they make reference they grunt the words "wagner" and "cher". These zombies are talking over both our TV and music, there are also more of these zombies than there are voters
^joking aside^ x-factor has significantly lowered the quality of our TV programs and music. Also the fact the more people vote on x-factor than general elections is seriously worrying.
do you agree with me that this program has turned our population into mindless zombies who cant make an informed decision on what music they like but instead have to get someone else to make that decision?
Well, such is the nature of the mainstream becoming more involved in the media in general.
Understand that a lot of the arguements against Democracy are based on things like this. If you've taken ethics, socialogy, and similar classes and ever read anything defending Totalitarianism, Dictatorships, Monarchies, and even socialism, you'd be aware of some strong cases being made for having an "elite ruling class" and demonstrations of why strong leadership can benefit a society in the long run. The complete idiocy of the masses and the "lowest human denominator" are not things people are just noticing recently. People have been writing about it for centuries. People becoming disinterested in their own elections, or voting idiots into power based on their needs of the moment or slick presentation are often quoted weaknesses of democracy by people who have advocated other political systems. Ditto for the affects on national pride, and culture.
See, to many minds culture, artwork, etc... is something that exists to elevate a society. It gives people something to strive towards, and puts the intellectual elite on pedestels as people work to understand, and improve upon their works. In a democratic-type society where the people themselves have power, especially a consumer culture, it can be argued that things eventually become as dumb as the masses themselves. Only a rare gem glinting from what amounts to a trough full of feces.
Don't get me wrong, I don't actually AGREE with such stances, and I'm not making pro-democracy arguements here in counter point, I'm simply saying they exist, and do make some valid points. No govermental system is perfect, and for all of it's advantages, what we're looking at is the downside of the system adopted by the US. I simply think the pros of our way of doing things vastly outweigh the cons. For example I'd point out that we STILL get that gem, even if it takes longer to get here, and we have to play "bobbing for gemstones"
in giant barrels full of liquid shit.
It's just entertainment. Why so serious? 
