Television--is that still on?

I'm probably not the only person to notice this on a blog, but I haven't read a discussion yet. Is it not somewhat ironic that at the same time that television broadcasts are going to be digital, and huge and high-def screens are becoming almost mandatory if not commonplace, that a majority of the programming is "reality" shows? Are "The Biggest Loser" and "Dancing with the Stars" and "Top Gear" all that much better in a crisp giant picture in your home theater?

For my part, I haven't had pay television in almost a decade, and the only channel that came in well enough and had something (cartoons) I wanted to watch was Fox, and our local affiliate already made the switch. So I've basically stopped watching tv. And when I do catch a few minutes of a broadcast at a bar or someone's house, I'm amazed at how brash and irritating I find it. I'm turning into one of those snobs who pour cold water on every pop culture conversation by looking down my nose saying "I don't watch television" in the same tone as if I said "I don't eat dog feces."

But I can't look down on "Flavor of Love" viewers because I use the television machine to watch the worst Sci-Fi movies ever made, and to play a video game where I pretend to be Keith Moon.

Muddy River, 03/10/09, 4:45 p.m.