2008-06-11 Television and Optimism

TV is not vulgar and prurient and dumb because the people who compose the audience are vulgar and dumb. Television is the way it is simply because people tend to be extremely similar in their vulgar and prurient and dumb interests and wildly different in their refined and aesthetic and noble interests. – David Foster Wallace, cited by Kevin Marks in How not to be viral

How not to be viral

The stupidity of TV and the intelligence of people around me – including the ones that watch TV – has always mystified me. I kept refusing to believe the simple “80% of people are dumb” explanation.

80% rule: 80% of everything is something. – my own quote! ✌

At least the Wallace quote acknowledges that most people have something to offer. Even if it is not something you particularly appreciate.

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