Two of the most dangerous shows on television are Shark Tank and Undercover Boss. These programs are mindless celebrations of capitalism – and are viewed by millions of working class people in marathon format.
Shark Tank demonstrates just how backward and unproductive the economy is. First of all, there is a difference between basic human needs and pseudo-needs. The former refers to the essentials required for our survival: clean air, adequate and nutritious food, potable water, ample shelter, and affordable health care. The latter refers to the flashy gizmos and empty products that – in an effort to profit – capitalism convinces us we need. This includes all the flashy gizmos and gimmicky products that we can live without.
On Shark Tank, there is a panel of five rich people who compete with each other in a race to the bottom to invest in pseudo-needs. Consider the fact that after being on the air for 8 years, the most popular and lucrative investment on the show is a sponge with a smiley face on it. Wages are stagnant, the cost of living is increasing, and Congress is actively trying to cut our health benefits – but we are supposed to stand and applaud someone investing in a fucking sponge?!! Get real, folks. Imagine a system where a panel of representatives cooperated with each other to invest in meeting our needs.
Undercover Boss is equally hate-worthy. Some money-hungry CEO puts on a wig and/or fake mustache and infiltrates the lower ranks of their business as a new employee. This charade gives the boss an opportunity to inspect the day-to-day functions of the company, and ideas for ways ‘increase productivity’ (i.e. intensify exploitation). The directors attempt to justify this hostile policing by focusing on an over-the-top rude employee who ends up getting fired. And then, with cheesy music playing softly in the background, the CEO becomes a hero after giving a FEW “hard-working” employees promotions and/or large sums of money for school, health care, vacation, etc. No matter how much money bosses donate, there is no such thing as conscious capitalism. All of the money the CEO gives as a “reward” was stolen from employees to begin with.
January 2, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Shark Tank gets me every time but more from the perspective of why. I mean, as a business person I can understand wanting to seek help from other successful people within the industry, but I hate it from an entrepreneurs view. At one point, everyone who went on the show was required to give a percentage of profits or equity to the Production company. Crazy what people will do man for a dollar, including selling themselves out
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 2, 2018 at 2:51 pm
Whoa – they had to give a percentage to production company? Do you have a link for this, I haven’t heard this before. I wonder if they think it is a free form of advertising
LikeLike
January 2, 2018 at 3:10 pm
Yessir, whether they struck a deal or not. Seems like they’re viewing it as a fee for the television exposure.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jjcolao/2013/06/13/is-shark-tank-really-worth-5-of-your-company-business-owners-say-absolutely/#77adfc9e456f
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 3, 2018 at 7:55 am
Thanks for the link! It’s amazing because – yes – they are getting exposure on TV – but the TV station is getting material to broadcast that reels people in, and gives them ad revenue off the commercials. So the TV stations make out like bandits
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 2, 2018 at 7:01 pm
Hey Darryl! Happy New Year. Agreed on these dumb shows. I have never seen ‘Undercover Boss’ but I am sure it is stupid. Watching ‘Shark Tank’ always made me very uncomfortable. So much money going into silly products when many folks cannot even get basic needs met… Great essay as always 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 3, 2018 at 7:58 am
Hello Christine,
Thank you – Happy New Year! It has been since we’ve touched base. Glad to you are still going strong on WP. I am trying to get back into it, now that my schedule has cleared up more.
And absolutely – Shark Tank haunts me a bit. It invites us to identify and empathize with the rich and powerful, who have nothing in common with ordinary people like you and me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 3, 2018 at 10:04 pm
Word. I’d add Funderdome to the list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 3, 2018 at 10:45 pm
I have never seen or heard of Funderdome. What is that?
LikeLike
January 3, 2018 at 11:13 pm
Two inventors compete for a certain amount of money to launch/grow their product. The audience gets to choose which is more worthy, so they say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 4, 2018 at 5:07 pm
Gotcha. Thanks for explaining! That sounds very similar – only the investors compete to grow a product as opposed to the inventors. I wish we would grow out of this trend..
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 4, 2018 at 10:31 pm
Right. My mom loves the show but I’m like who tf would buy that crap?
LikeLiked by 1 person