I've been a fan of the series 'Penn and Teller: Bullshit!' ever since I discovered it in college. If you haven't seen or heard of this show, you are doing yourself a disservice. It has been described as 'South Park meets 60 Minutes' by some critics, probably because the hosts, magicians Penn Jillette and Teller, speak rather freely on the issues explored by the show. They examine and tear apart just about ANYTHING you can imagine: Feng Shui, Environmentalism, PETA, the Death Penalty, the Bible, the Vatican... NOTHING is too sacred. In fact, if you have a 'sacred cow' of some kind, chances are good they did an episode where it was carved into steaks. While I don't agree with every opinion of theirs (i.e. their episode on the Bible was flawed in it's approach), I still find their point of view quite fascinating and worthy of my interest.
Sadly, they stopped making the show in 2010. While it went out with a bang, absolutely DESTROYING this BULLSHIT myth about vaccines causing autism, I still want the show to return. I've also developed a list of topics for the show. Hell, I'd host it myself. Anyway, here's my list for new episodes... And the reasons why these topics must be explored...
Topics for new episodes of Penn and Teller: Bullshit!
1.) Army Weight and PT standards
They haven't changed since 1942, even though the Sciences of Biology, Medicine and Health have made enormous gains since that time. Also, if athletes coming into the Army straight out of High School are having trouble passing the PT test, then, something is fundamentally wrong here.
2.) The Military's 'Rape Culture'
The Military is dangerous, especially if you're female. Since the Military is a 'boy's club', women are routinely harassed, disrespected in all kinds of ways and often sexually assaulted. Even worse, these assaults often go unpunished by the Chain of Command. This is why I will NEVER let any future daughters of mine EVER go anywhere near a recruiter.
3.) (Hollywood) Celebrities coming out of the proverbial closet
Do people really need to know that some actor or musician is gay? I personally couldn't care less.
4.) Celebrity worship (especially in the Media)
Why do people place so much emphasis on the opinions of famous people? Being famous does not necessarily make you an expert on anything in particular. #3 and 4 should probably be combined.
5.) Bias in the News Media
Think the Media is giving you accurate, unbiased information? Think again.
6.) Family Law in America
Men are often being forced to pay child support for children that aren't really their children. That is BULLSHIT.
6.) New diagnostic requirements/grading rubric for 'Autism Spectrum Disorder' in the DSM-V
Lumping anyone who is 'neurologically different' into one broad category with it's own 'spectrum' just to simplify paperwork from Healthcare providers and Insurance companies does NOT help treat these patients. Also, there is a huge difference between an Aspie and someone with Classical Autism. Aspies are the 'weird genius' kids in class. Classical Autistics, due in no small part to our flawed educational system, are lucky if they ever learn to read and write on any level.
7.) Obamacare & Government Entitlement programs
Another HUGE government program intended to make people's lives easier instead makes them MUCH worse and threatens to destroy America's economy. Why is anyone surprised this could happen? It has happened before with the New Deal and the Great Society plans...
8.) The NSA
The agency charged with protecting America's freedoms from foreign threats has itself become a threat to those freedoms. How did this happen and what can be done?
9.) Labor Unions
They were created to protect the worker from unsafe working environments and business practices designed to screw them over. However, they already did that DECADES ago and now just drive up costs for the producers, which get passed on to us consumers. And that is why so many American manufacturing jobs were outsourced overseas.
10.) Hillary Clinton
The very definition of 'career politician' incarnate. She's probably one of the most polarizing figures in America today. Liberals think she's an Angel and everyone else thinks she's the Devil. So, what are the facts here? Is she the Devil or just someone who's (possibly) incompetent and corrupted by power?
11.) Education
Specifically, Common Core and the No Child Left Behind Act. 'One size fits all' solutions don't work.
12.) Making money from people's grief...
Selling 'miracle cures' to parents of children with a special need, self-help courses for mentally disabled/neurologically different people, et al. This one and #6 are very personal for me.
13.) Failure of the New Orleans levee system during Hurricane Katrina
As a New Orleans native, this one is also very personal for me.
After Hurricane Betsy struck and flooded NOLA in 1965. The Federal government had the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers build a system of levees to protect the city from another disastrous flood brought on by a Hurricane. 40 years later, that Hurricane came... and the levees failed. How and why did this happen? Who exactly is at fault? What can be done to make sure it never happens again? (And why did Penn and Teller never make an episode on this topic?)
14.) Political Parties
Ever wonder why our leaders can't get anything done? Why is it always one side or the other trying to dominate and force their views on others? Why is it more about getting their way rather than doing something to help the American people? Because of Political Parties and the pack mentality that goes along with them.
15.) Organized Religion
Now, here's a topic I know Penn and Teller would love...
People blindly following a Pastor's lead, lack of critical thinking, some religions adopting policies and traditions that are CONTRARY to the beliefs expressed in their sacred texts... All of this happens in Organized Religion. I personally would use the Catholic Church as the example/poster child/whipping boy here. That is the organized religion that is most familiar to the viewing audience in America and much of the Western World.
16.) Scientology and other cults
Speaking of organized religions... Scientology is not only obvious BULLSHIT, it's also a dangerous cult. Members are not allowed to leave. When they do, the 'Church' of Scientology essentially declares them an enemy of the state and tells other members to do physical harm to the people that left. They also neglect children, often refuse to let members see doctors and have their own fictional Space Navy. Sound too crazy to be true? I would have thought so too if it hadn't come from a former member that grew up in that crazy cult.
If anyone has any good ideas that should be added to the list, let me know.
- Lord Publius
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