There's a scathing article in this month's Harper's about reality tv. But however vicious reality tv is, i think it must have one salutary effect: it makes its viewers confront the absurdity of human life.

Exhibit A:

I, um, happened to catch the end of Average Joe: Hawaii tonight. The hot chick dumps the average guy and chooses the hunk. But on day 5 of their prize trip, she reveals to hunk that she once dated Fabio, which is too much for hunk to handle, so he dumps her, leaving in a fuss. "All I have to say to anyone watching," says the hunk oh-so-earnestly, "is, man, put yourself in my shoes and think how you'd feel. *Fabio* - think how'd you feel."

No writer could make that shit up, or get away with making that up (perhaps they edited out the part where she said she made an porno with Fabio and his pet goat). And those oh-so-deliciously earnest and completely absurd confessions happen all the time on reality tv!

Maybe it's not the great yawning abyssmal absurdity of philosophers, but it's half-way there. How can the viewer not start thinking about the absurdity of their own life after this? Despite my generally low opinion of people, I gotta think this gives people pause, and causes them to reflect on such matters.
  ¶ 8:48 AM