This is about the only show on TV I can stand to watch (it happens to be a Musketeers favorite). But I think we'll skip this episode:U.S. President Barack Obama will appear next month on "Mythbusters," a television series that uses science to investigate popular myths.
Props to Otto for his take on this development:Perhaps they'll tackle the myth of his genius? Or his birth certificate? Or his love for America? Or that he wrote his own books? This could go on and on...
The obvious question is what on earth is the President of the United States doing on this show? Oh, wait: it's his target demographic:The show has about 13 million viewers a week and is especially popular with 9- to 14-year olds, according to the White House.
Various Presidents have encouraged kids to be fit, to read, etc. But, Bill's saxophone recital on MTV aside, I can't recall an administration so doggedly determined to connect with the
college-and-
under crowd. Makes me recall a
recently read book:
"Historically, fascism is of necessity and by design a form of youth movement, and all youth movements have more than a whiff of fascism about them. The exaltation of passion over reason, action over deliberation, is a naturally youthful impulse. Treating young people as equals, "privileging" their opinions precisely because they lack experience and knowledge, is an inherently fascist tendency, because at its heart lies the urge to throw off 'old ways' and 'old dogmas' in favor of what the Nazis called the 'idealism of the deed.'" (p. 165)
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