Monday, July 25, 2005
The Da Vinci Code is a Load of Crap
I cannot say this often enough. I love the History Channel as much as anyone but if they air crap seemingly substantiating the most irritating book of all time again, I'll be forced to start busting caps in asses.
Really, this sort of thing is an excellent example of where private sector educational channels fail us. This sort of programming is catered to popular tastes - in this case, the stupid book everyone has read. There is no motivation to say, "Hey, dumb asses...the book is pure fiction. If you'd ever taken a history course beyond 'History for Dummies' you'd be able to point out its many fallacies." Obviously one cannot expect the average person to spot out the flaws in a story like The Da Vinci Crap. We as stupid citizens count on documentary-style TV programs to give us some sort of balanced review. That is, we tune into the History Channel expecting to learn what is real, false or whatever. Unfortunately, there are more viewers willing to watch a show that confirms the titillating tripe they read about. So we're treated to a slew of dufuses touted as experts who despite actually knowing nothing about the topic are eager to confirm for viewers that Jesus definitely porked Mary Magdalene or whatever the case may be. Oh, yeah...and Leonardo da Vinci knew this despite living well over a thousand years after the fact because he, was, uh, smart and stuff. This sort of programming is the best argument for public television out there.
Please...anyone out there in cyberspace with an actual interest in this stuff...read a good secular magazine like Biblical Archaeology Review (written for the layperson). Whatever you do, do not go up to a history major who focused on the ancient Middle East and attempt to sound intelligent and well-read by bringing up the shit you read in a best-selling novel.
Really, this sort of thing is an excellent example of where private sector educational channels fail us. This sort of programming is catered to popular tastes - in this case, the stupid book everyone has read. There is no motivation to say, "Hey, dumb asses...the book is pure fiction. If you'd ever taken a history course beyond 'History for Dummies' you'd be able to point out its many fallacies." Obviously one cannot expect the average person to spot out the flaws in a story like The Da Vinci Crap. We as stupid citizens count on documentary-style TV programs to give us some sort of balanced review. That is, we tune into the History Channel expecting to learn what is real, false or whatever. Unfortunately, there are more viewers willing to watch a show that confirms the titillating tripe they read about. So we're treated to a slew of dufuses touted as experts who despite actually knowing nothing about the topic are eager to confirm for viewers that Jesus definitely porked Mary Magdalene or whatever the case may be. Oh, yeah...and Leonardo da Vinci knew this despite living well over a thousand years after the fact because he, was, uh, smart and stuff. This sort of programming is the best argument for public television out there.
Please...anyone out there in cyberspace with an actual interest in this stuff...read a good secular magazine like Biblical Archaeology Review (written for the layperson). Whatever you do, do not go up to a history major who focused on the ancient Middle East and attempt to sound intelligent and well-read by bringing up the shit you read in a best-selling novel.
