HGTV caters to a variety of income levels (or, as the phrase goes, “price points”). It makes sense, then, that sprucing up the places where we live can lift our spirits without challenging our essential worth or requiring ongoing exertion. Our homes can be gussied up with a little expenditure and elbow grease, but they don’t require that we change how we present ourselves to the world. Unlike early shows on TLC ( What Not to Wear) and Bravo (Queer Eye for the Straight Guy), which focused on physical make-overs, HGTV has skyrocketed to popularity by focusing on home improvement. Our current political situation can be understood as a backlash against that wearisome imperative that we be better than what we are inclined to be. This, I believe, has made us acutely aware of how lazy and inherently imperfect we are, creating anxiety and anger as the eventual byproduct. We have passed through the cultural interlude in which we were bullied relentlessly about eating better, exercising more, and brightening up our personalities (not to mention our teeth). But no effort is made to improve the health, wealth, or moral fiber of the clients being served. on the production of a nicer envelope for living. To be sure, they focus on improvement - i.e. To begin, it is useful to observe what these shows are not about. I came away with a deep appreciation for how this programming functions in our culture. The voices on these shows were so soothing and nonjudgmental, and the hardwood floors, finished cabinetry, coordinated backsplash, and designer-rustic farm sinks so aesthetically pleasing that I was lulled back to health before I knew it. During a protracted period on the couch with a stomach virus a few months ago, I found the only thing I could keep down was HGTV.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |