4/5 stars
What's it about? In this sociological analysis of reality TV, Lindemann examines how the genre represents us as a culture and the values by which we live. An incisive and convincing reflection.
How’d I find it? Multnomah County Library always has the goods. I love “a wormhole day,” in which I relive childhood Saturdays spent at the San Antonio Public Library following the meandering of my interests.
Who will enjoy this book? If you enjoy the writing of Emily Nussbaum, this is a solid readalike.
What stood out? Lindemann dissects the constructs embedded into the likes of The Bachelor and The Real Housewives franchise, teasing out what this media reveals about our thoughts on race, gender, class, and how we relate to each other and ourselves. I rediscovered so many shows to revisit. How could I have ever forgotten Breaking Amish?
Which line made me feel something? From the chapter on “deviance,” which discusses how people on reality TV who break social norms are depicted to viewers: “Like townspeople in an old horror film chasing after a monster with their torches, we are bonded in our collective rejection of the ones who do not belong.”