Soap Opera

Occasionally, I will get involved in one of these long running television series--you know, those glorified soap opera type series where nothing really ever gets resolved. Eventually, I get tired of watching because 1) the unreliable internet in Indonesia may or may not allow you to continue watching, 2) the DVD option is just as uncertain, given that only about 50 percent of the DVDs one buys here actually work, and 3) I realize that the writers have no intention of resolving anything, for doing so would bring an end to the show, and their jobs.

I'm the sort of person who likes things to be resolved, whether in literature or film or life itself. I tire of an endless series of episodes  where what was bad enough just continues to unravel into what is worse yet. 

And I've realized that this is how I feel about the American political scene as well. Each investigation, each scandal, each news bomb simply piles on top of all the previous crisis moments--and nothing ever gets sorted out! 

In the beginning, we used to say "Ah, this is it, then. It's over." But it's not over. It's never over. And the reason it's never over is because it's entertainment. It's a reality show. This weeks episode was shocking, but next week is still to come. Stay tuned. 

And, for me, ultimately, it is dreary, and predictable, and even somewhat of a cheat--for no one, ever, had any intention of concluding the story. No, eventually it will just be cancelled as a result of low ratings, and the actors will disappear, and a new story will be told. 

I must say that I miss the days when government kind of just functioned in the background, like a reliable old engine. You could hear it humming, but had no reason to examine it every day. I kind of miss the days when Facebook was mostly about what your friends happened to be doing, or what was going on with one's favorite causes or affections. The endless, relentless soap opera of these American times becomes much more irritating than interesting at this point. They've dragged this plot out far too long and strained credibility to the limit. Enough. 

Enough.