Are the manipulative techniques used by teams of producers and psychologists at Czech TV stations much more persuasive than those employed elsewhere? Or is the Czech public succumbing to reality TV for some other reason?

Fabiano Golgo, a Brazilian journalist and anthropologist living in the Czech Republic, argued in Britské listy that Czechs are taken with "reality shows" because they offer an accurate reflection of contemporary Czech life. He said it's hypocritical to complain about the sexually explicit nature of these shows, as that only reflects the Czech Republic's status as "sexually one of the most liberal nations in the world." After all, Czechs don't mind collective nudity in real life -- why should it bother them on television? Why should Czech "intellectuals" object to the swearing and drinking on these shows, when people, intellectuals included, freely do both in their daily lives?

But the most authentic mimicking of real life on a television program surely can't explain why so many Czechs seem to be obsessed with reality shows, at the expense of anything else.

Historically, Czech society has always been plebeian and collectivist. And, for some reason, the Czechs adapted incredibly well to the "normalization" era of the 1970s and '80s following the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion. During normalization, the Communist leadership banned all adult, critical intellectual activity and reduced the population to a nation of children who were rewarded with the opportunity for modest consumerism in exchange for their unthinking loyalty to the colonial, pro-Soviet regime. In hindsight, it's now obvious that this trade-off suited Czech plebeianism well. Some remnants of the normalization era have survived until today, particularly in the society's unthinking collectivism, which is now complemented by some of the most pathological features adopted from contemporary Western culture.

Western countries also show a hearty appetite for entertainment that targets the lowest common denominator. But there are key differences. These societies seem to be much more structured, and there's an intellectual class with a strong voice in society. Most importantly, there are intelligent people in the media -- satirists, comedians, and political commentators -- who ruthlessly make fun of plebeian idiocy on radio and television. If you did the same in the Czech Republic, the disseminators of the idiotic programs would probably sue you for "damaging our business interests."

As a result of unfortunate historical developments, Czech society now seems to lack a vocal intelligentsia whose independent, critical analysis is taken seriously by the nation. This isn't to say that such people don't exist in the Czech Republic, but they aren't heard in the media.

A major Czech cultural icon, a Czech writer living in the West, unsentimentally summed up the situation. He says there are no intellectuals left in the Czech Republic -- only "post-proletarian `pseuds.'" Czechs' uncritical admiration of reality TV suggests that he's right. Is it really so?

Originally published in Czech Business Week on 5th December 2005 HERE