Just a little closer to where I want to be
I got better grades for last term than I ever expected. And then spent a crazy month doing nothing except sleep, eat, and watch TV, not leaving the house once. I was too exhausted to read, too exhausted to even think. I did 0% of what I had planned to get done during this winter break, and I've been the lousiest of friends, on LJ as in real life. I blame [myself, really, but also] the person who gave me DVDs of all 7 seasons of The West Wing for Christmas.
For those who don't know, The West Wing is a TV show rewriting U.S. politics as seen through rose-colored glasses. In spite of its lack of political realism, I've found it curiously absorbing, undeniably funny, and surprisingly educational. I would even go as far as to say it has helped patch many of the embarrassing holes in my understanding of U.S. politics.
I know Canadian and Quebec politics because it's where I live, and by extension I understand similar systems; I know British politics because I followed it obsessively as a teenager. Not so much the (complex and unique in the world) U.S. political system and culture. I did take a course on it, but missed almost all the lessons due to illness, and fortunately for my record but unfortunately for me, successfully bullshitted through the exam and didn't have to retake it.
The behavior of the main characters in The West Wing doesn't make it easy to suspend disbelief. Real politicians wouldn't have so much trouble convincing themselves they are doing what's good for the people. The human psyche has some powerful mechanisms of defense against cognitive dissonance; people for whom these mechanisms don't work are rare and even more rare in politics. I'm not saying it never happens - I can name several examples of politicians who are like that - but they are exceptions. TWW has a whole cast of exceptions. I can't imagine the people I used to work with watching this show and not finding it ridiculous.
The psychological realism of Star Wars is remarkable because it takes place in settings that are so unrealistic. With The West Wing, it's the opposite: the settings are realistic - it is set in the real world, give or take a few details - but the way the characters behave in them is nothing short of extraordinary. Regardless, the person who gave me these DVDs thinking I'd find them educational and entertaining was right. There are worse things to waste a month on.
For those who don't know, The West Wing is a TV show rewriting U.S. politics as seen through rose-colored glasses. In spite of its lack of political realism, I've found it curiously absorbing, undeniably funny, and surprisingly educational. I would even go as far as to say it has helped patch many of the embarrassing holes in my understanding of U.S. politics.
I know Canadian and Quebec politics because it's where I live, and by extension I understand similar systems; I know British politics because I followed it obsessively as a teenager. Not so much the (complex and unique in the world) U.S. political system and culture. I did take a course on it, but missed almost all the lessons due to illness, and fortunately for my record but unfortunately for me, successfully bullshitted through the exam and didn't have to retake it.
The behavior of the main characters in The West Wing doesn't make it easy to suspend disbelief. Real politicians wouldn't have so much trouble convincing themselves they are doing what's good for the people. The human psyche has some powerful mechanisms of defense against cognitive dissonance; people for whom these mechanisms don't work are rare and even more rare in politics. I'm not saying it never happens - I can name several examples of politicians who are like that - but they are exceptions. TWW has a whole cast of exceptions. I can't imagine the people I used to work with watching this show and not finding it ridiculous.
The psychological realism of Star Wars is remarkable because it takes place in settings that are so unrealistic. With The West Wing, it's the opposite: the settings are realistic - it is set in the real world, give or take a few details - but the way the characters behave in them is nothing short of extraordinary. Regardless, the person who gave me these DVDs thinking I'd find them educational and entertaining was right. There are worse things to waste a month on.