In general, I don't watch reality shows. In fact, mostly I watch movies. But Stephen Walt has identified an upcoming reality show that I find virtually unbelievable. I can't understand how the producers got the money to fund it. I gather that NBC is having tough times so they are probably desperate and willing to try anything. And I guess the host, General Wesley Clark, must need the money.
The show is called "Stars Earn Stripes" and follows very minor celebrities going through military training. Walt doesn't lambaste the show because it is idiotic. Here are his basic complaints:
For starters, war is a serious business in which real human beings die. It's not a sporting competition to be conducted for our amusement.Turning military training into a tawdry reality show obliterates the moral significance of violent conflict and invites us to pretend that it's all some sort of game.
Finally, this new show must be seen as yet another manifestation of the uncritical deference to all things military that gets in the way of an intelligent national security policy. Don't get me wrong: I support a strong national defense and I am grateful for the sacrifices that real soldiers and sailors make on our behalf. But based on the promo I saw last night, this silly show portrays military service as the acme of human achievement, as the most demanding set of skills that these minor celebrities could aspire to master. As such, it subtly contributes to the idea that people in uniform are the greatest Americans, which in turn reinforces the belief that shoveling more and more money at the Pentagon is the best way to make Americans safer and more prosperous.
No comments:
Post a Comment