Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Africa was important before Brad Pitt, believe it or not

I'm becoming "mad as hell, and I don't want to take it anymore" (to quote Network), when it comes to the increasingly excessive celebrity culture. I was just talking with John about how even when we don't make any sort of effort to know about pop culture, we still hear about it all the time from people and even on the news.

It is especially ridiculous that the only time the television networks can be bothered to do an in depth story about the lack of good education and healthcare in Africa is when Brad Pitt takes it up as a cause. I have nothing against (and everything for) what Brad Pitt is doing in Africa (well except that Pat Robertson is connected with the initiative which makes me suspicious) even if it is a publicity stunt, but to see Diane Sawyer pretending that she gives a damn about Africa is just laughable and sad at the same time considering how irresponsible and decadent the U.S. news media is. Especially when, after the next commerical break, she goes to talking about the mundanity that is "what happened with Jennifer?"

The last straw is hearing people say they're sad about Brad and Jennifer breaking up. Sad? You don't know them.

So hopefully Diane Sawyer will start following up on Africa now that Brad Pitt has strucken such a chord, but I would imagine she'd sooner--much sooner--follow up on Jennifer Aniston.

All of this increasing ridiculousness reminds me about the book From Dawn to Decadence, where author Jacques Barzon frames a society that is on a cultural downfall because of its decadence. Not that I (or he) are the first people to point it out, but the hybrid Enterntainment news that is prevalent is no comfort.

1 comment:

Chris said...

I don't know if you can actually "know" pop culture...it's kind of vacuous or at least superficial by nature. It has to be or else it wouldn't appeal to the masses.