Writer: Reality Shows Part of Regime’s Cultural Model

Filip David (FOTO:BETA)

Writer Filip David called reality shows in Serbia a part of the regime’s “cultural model.” Moreover, he added, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic chose the TV station broadcasting reality shows as a means of communication with the nation, “deliberately [using] the scandalous manipulation of the basest [human] impulses that a person should be distancing themselves from, and not supporting them.” 

“[Reality shows] are by no means harmless. These programs are based on primitivism and crudeness which spread as quickly as a pandemic. Offensive language, physical violence, insults and humiliation, pornography […], it’s all a ‘deliberated political project’ as well as a natural consequence of ‘the rule of the worst’,” David said for the June 10 issue of the NIN weekly.

When asked about the difference between the 1990s’ and today’s populism in Serbia, the author replied that basically there is none, and added that populism usually leads to dictatorship and rests on societies of false values, where lies and injustice, cancelation of important institutions and pandering to poor taste make their shaky foundations.

“And behind the nationalistic, patriotic and social justice interests, lurk the crude, selfish partisan and dominating personal interests. Maintaining and grabbing the seats of power is more important than the truth, moral, and basic honesty,” David said and added that the opposition is “at each other's throats, without a clear political program and has a penchant for demagogy.”