#199 - Pattaya & Thoughts on some US TV Series

Life

Dec 28

Another delayed blog.

A cough that won’t go away:

I’ve not been sick, but I picked up a chest cough about 2 months ago and it will not go away. It is exhausting. I still have it as I write and I’m not sure what to do next. I have been staying at home even more than before and it is starting to tell on me.

My Own Place:

I realized during my isolation one reason I am enjoying my new place in Pattaya so much. Since 2009 I have been living in other people’s places. Mark & Liza were the primary residents of the places I lived both in the Philippines and in the US. And when traveling, Air BnBs and hotels are just that. This is the first time in 15 years that I am in my OWN place. This is not a big deal but it is an interesting feeling. 😊

A commentary on a number of American TV shows that I used to watch:

The protagonists epitomize the things I dislike about America. Well. Not just America, I see this everywhere.

One could legitimately ask why I continue to watch the shows if I dislike the characters so much. And the answer is that I finally stopped. But the purpose they served is that it allowed me to crystallize and articulate what I find so unpleasant about the propaganda.

I happen to like murder mysteries. Of the Dorothy Sayers / Agatha Christie genre. Very difficult to find that however.

In their place, the police procedurals from the US like Numbers, Bones, the FBI franchise, etc. are a poor facsimile. Especially once one realizes how propagandized the product is. They do address ‘issues’ but fleetingly. A lick and a promise.

I have three main complaints.

Firstly the primary male characters are almost caricatures of American male stereotypes. Patriotic, military service, family oriented (if I never hear the phrase ‘family first’ again it will be too soon), and thoroughly entrenched as sports fans. That shows pathetically little imagination.

Secondly, the inevitable characteristic of the female characters to get pregnant. WHY?!

Thirdly, and most irritating, is that the characters never question the framework within which they work. They are full of the rightness that is them. The shows simply portrays the legal framework as ‘it is what it is and it must be right’. Why do they not show the characters actively questioning the validity of the legal framework and finding ways to ridicule it and work around it? In the case of the FBI characters why is there not a single reference to the fact that for the majority of the FBI’s existence it was run by a mentally ill, megalomaniacal control freak who pandered and aided the worst tendencies of the equally putrid politicians who ran the country?

But I am reasonably sure that the organizations in question, FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, etc. probably have some influence on what is portrayed in the shows.

I realize of course, and this is just as depressing, that they do write for their audience. And what a sad commentary that is. I can imagine what audience response would be to a male character who served in the military but derided patriotism, thought organized sports were a tragic waste of time and money, was an atheist, automatically assumed the worst of any politician (and showed it regardless of title), and harbored a profound dislike for children and the concept of families. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Who knew there is actually a league and logo for people who don’t like sports 👍👍👍

And another pet peeve.

‘Respect the rank/office regardless of who occupies it.’ That is the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard. I first heard that in the military and even as a young private I questioned that. If the person in the office or holding the rank is a jack ass, and the system allowed him to get there, why on earth is the rank/office worthy of respect?

This has been a fairly negative blog. I apologize but I’m tired and worn down. I hope to be better next time.

Activities …

I ended up spending Christmas Day at the Sheraton in Bangkok. It is harder being alone at Christmas when in the middle of intense Christmas festivities. That is all I’ll say about that. ☹ . It was just like the night before when I attended a Christmas Eve buffet at the Hard Rock with a number of friends. Anxiety attack. Not fun.

On a positive note, however, I have been putting a lot of time into Thai. I would say I am at A1 level without question, and I am starting to feel like I am hitting critical mass on INPUT that may take me to A2 fairly swiftly. I’m thinking that B1 might be possible. That would bring my number of languages to 5. That would be cool. 😊

Best wishes for the new year. I will be here in Pattaya but will not be doing much as usual.