I heard about that. Sounds like an earlier version of DotComGuy (remember him?)
I heard that Japan has some very odd "reality TV" shows, including one where they stage armed home invasions of unsuspecting participants (maybe they have them sign a form some months back about being on TV, worded so that they expect an invitation in the mail or something?) and then tell them that, essentially, they're on Candid Camera.
We are on the same page. Funny, huh>
I never cease to be amazed at the us public's idiocy. They actually believe they are being given real choices via the media.
McLuhan nailed all of this, in a way. But it is all about consensual reality. You can't change the world by changing the channel. You have to turn off that machine and find a new way to get your information. Like looking up at the sky, at your neighbor next door, at your kids who you have plugged into this machine that is the PRIMARY tool of the current power mongers.
Kids today think freedom means deciding which soft drink to buy, what tshirt to wear. They don't even know what it means to be free to think and do and say whatever they want as they have been told WHAT TO WANT.. that's all right, we told you what to dream...
The problem is the only way I can see to wake people up is by getting my two minutes on an international simultaneous broadcast that ends with NO MORE FUCKING TV>> you are on your own. All ye oxen free, you know.
Hmm. Speaking of reality television, have you seen this:
http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/nasubi.html ?
It's pretty amazing.