The Jersey Shore: Part of the Problem?

Someone on Facebook commented on a friend's page, insisting that those who watch MTV's, 'The Jersey Shore' are part of the problem after I mentioned that I found the show entertaining.

Here's the quote and my response:

Comment: 'If you TRULY want a comic relief then how about watching some REAL comedians? How about some stand up comedy? Haven't you realized that most of that stuff they say is scripted? No wonder this country is where it is. And I still not supporting these stupid moronic people in my neighborhood.'

Comedy is personal, and stand-up comedy is different than what The Jersey Shore is, clearly. Obviously, there are many ways to be entertained. Hell, even watching the Republican debates entertains me to no end, but also gives me great tidbits of insanity to use when arguing against GOP-supporters.

While The Jersey Shore may seem to be a celebration of stupidity, drama and crazy behavior, it's not that different from fictionalized silliness (most vapid sitcoms) or fictionalized drama (soap operas). I think there's a lot more about what's wrong with the world than mere entertainment media, and there are far more stupid things on YouTube with umpteen-million views.

You've written, 'No wonder this country is where it is' as if I am part of the problem, which is a serious charge. Is that really what you think, having never met me, or perhaps you might consider that shows like The Jersey Shore are a *symptom* of the problem rather than the cause? After all, these cast members have chosen to go on this show and on occasion, make asses of themselves. Would a 'Snooki' be so easy to find in Japan?

Maybe not, but if Japan had a show like this, your argument would be moot, since the culture values education so highly. Japanese businessmen routinely get drunk and do karaoke, almost as a cultural institution. If there were a show about this and we watched it, what would your comment be then? We're part of the problem? I'm not the one getting drunk and flashing the world, but it's entertaining to watch Snooki do it.

The dumbing-down of America is not so facile as watching too many quasi-reality shows. It's due to many factors, including an overall lack of critical thinking, too much emphasis on religion which values authority and conformity over logic and skepticism, and a celebration of ignorance with a cultural celebration (almost worship) of ballers and shot-callers over scientists and engineers.

Look at the salaries of basketball players over teachers. Teachers are way more important in educating our youth and directly prepare children to allow America to compete in a global economy with countries who value education (especially math and science) more-highly.

That, my friend, is obscene. If you watch professional sports, you're part of the problem, aren't you? I promote science and skepticism and watch no professional sports aside from MotoGP racing. Sure, the Jersey Shore cast members get paid well, but nowhere near as well as America's venerated sports heroes, and ultimately, sports don't make us great....it's education and science that makes us great and truly change lives and the world for the better.

The Jersey Shore is a reflection of the dumbing-down of America, not the cause of it. I understand that and that's why I can enjoy The Jersey Shore rather than letting it upset me. There are real problems in America and I post about many of them on my FB wall, but I think focusing on quasi-reality shows misses the point and distracts focus from the real issues.

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