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“Consent of the Governed: Now a Commodity

Commodity—an article of commerce

“According to an authoritative global study, Americans now watch television an average of 4 hours and 35 minutes every day—An excerpt from Al Gore’s book “The Assault On Reason contained in May 28 issue of TIME.

We have traded our democratic inheritance for a few hours of vapid TV distraction.

I am convinced that we have one avenue out of this terrible predicament into which we have fallen; we American adults must significantly improve our level of intellectual sophistication.

This can easily be done in a most delightful way; we adults can take one hour a day that we now spend on a couch before a TV screen and utilize that time studying the books that will enlighten us as to who we are and why we do the things we do.

Self-actualizing self-learning is a simple and powerful solution to a most dangerous and pressing situation. We have nothing to lose but our apathy and ignorance; and we have everything to gain, including our self-respect and the respect of generations to come.

posted by coberst

I am convinced that we have one avenue out of this terrible predicament into which we have fallen; we American adults must significantly improve our level of intellectual sophistication.


How about also taking steps to prevent your media being controlled by just a few large corporations. Far from being anti-capitalist or left wing in thinking at the heart of capitalism is the idea that there should be competition and legal sanctions in place in place to prevent the development of monopolies. Anti trust laws are not anti business as the likes of microsoft would have you believe. There may be a place in the market for dumbed down television but there is also one for good quality programming, educational ones etc etc. Just because you like junk food doesn't mean you cannot appreciate a good bottle of wine.

lousy analogy but hopefully you get my drift.

This can easily be done in a most delightful way; we adults can take one hour a day that we now spend on a couch before a TV screen and utilize that time studying the books that will enlighten us as to who we are and why we do the things we do.


It is not unknown for TV drama to spark of an interest in an author or a particular subject. Indeed in the UK there have been a number of literary revivals sparked off by a drama or TV series. Same with music.