THE AMERICAN MIRAGE

Bridging the gap between American Idol and the American dream.

How can the American dream remain a strong undercurrent of the national mythology despite evident structural wealth polarization? Kim, a Columbia University political scientist, writes that the belief that our political and economic system can support rags-to-riches stories might be stronger now than ever. Even while economic mobility lags, these views are propped up as a result of a growing number of reality TV shows. America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and Shark Tank, among others, exist in a world where anyone off the couch could win a cash prize or become a star. With Americans increasingly indulging in these narratives, Kim urges the political science community to invest more seriously in the role of these narratives to shape political views. “It’s a dance as old as time: each generation wrestling with the media that defines it, asking where and how the line between ‘politics’ and ‘clutter’ is drawn.” With Americans spurning more sober political analysis and news journalism, the author argues, analysts will need to look more broadly in search for insights into political discourse. Americans love entertainment, and Kim convincingly assures us that “within this universal passion lies an uncharted realm of persuasion—or, at the very least, the cipher to the many lingering puzzles of American public opinion that an exclusive focus on news media or elite-driven political communication cannot unravel.”

An insightful inquiry into America’s enmeshed political and entertainment landscapes.