Reality Squared by Tom Syverson - 9781789045819

Reality SquaredOn Reality TV and Left Politics\nAuthor(s): Tom Syverson\nFormat: Paperback\nPublisher: Collective Ink, United Kingdom\nImprint: Zero Books\nISBN-13: 9781789045819, 978-1789045819\nSynopsis\nIn this concise but rich book, Syverson refutes the common notion that reality television is superficial or inauthentic, explaining how such criticisms fail to appreciate the way that we form social reality in the first place. By examining shows like The Hills, The Real Housewives, Vanderpump Rules, and The Bachelor alongside postmodern philosophy, feminist theory, and political economy, Syverson argues that we can confront todays postmodern condition only by accepting it on its own terms. To what extent does reality television mimic and shape our public and personal lives? Is reality television a dangerous, shallow decadence, or can it provide the key to understanding our postmodern moment? And above all, what does the election of Donald Trump mean for progressive fans of the genr.