Eunji Kim, a political science professor at Columbia and media scholar, dives deep into how reality TV shapes perceptions of the American Dream. She reveals that shows like American Idol and MasterChef create a misleading sense of meritocracy that contrasts sharply with growing income inequality. Kim discusses the shift from news to entertainment, examining how this affects public opinions and political engagement. By exploring the allure of rags-to-riches tales, she highlights their role in fostering optimism while obscuring economic realities.
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insights INSIGHT
Reality TV vs. News on American Dream
Reality TV and news media present conflicting messages about the American Dream.
Reality TV perpetuates optimism about upward mobility while news often highlights economic challenges.
insights INSIGHT
Proving Causality of Reality TV Effects
Reality TV with rags-to-riches narratives causes belief in the American Dream.
Eunji Kim uses diverse data and experiments to confirm causality rather than correlation.
insights INSIGHT
Reality TV’s Cross-Partisan Appeal
Rags-to-riches reality TV shows attract viewers from both political sides equally.
This bipartisanship increases their persuasive power as viewers do not resist politically.
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The American Mirage, How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy
The American Mirage, How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy
How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy
Eunji Kim
Eunji Kim's "The American Mirage" explores the discrepancy between news media portrayals of the American Dream and the narratives presented in reality TV. The book argues that popular reality shows, with their rags-to-riches storylines, cultivate an overly optimistic view of upward mobility. This perception, the author contends, influences political attitudes and tolerance towards income inequality. Kim uses a variety of methods, including surveys, experiments, and content analysis, to support her claims. The research reveals a causal link between reality TV consumption and beliefs about meritocracy, impacting policy preferences. Ultimately, the book challenges the assumption that lived experiences always outweigh media influence in shaping political opinions.
In an age of growing wealth disparities, politicians on both sides of the aisle are sounding the alarm about the fading American Dream. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, many still view the United States as the land of opportunity. The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy (Princeton University Press, 2025) addresses this puzzle by exposing the stark reality of today’s media landscape, revealing how popular entertainment media shapes politics and public opinion in an increasingly news-avoiding nation. Drawing on an eclectic array of original data, Dr. Eunji Kim demonstrates how, amid a dazzling array of media choices, many Americans simply are not consuming the news. Instead, millions flock to entertainment programs that showcase real-life success stories, such as American Idol, Shark Tank, and MasterChef. Dr. Kim examines how shows like these leave viewers confoundingly optimistic about the prospects of upward mobility, promoting a false narrative of rugged individualism and meritocracy that contradicts what is being reported in the news. By taking seriously what people casually watch every day, The American Mirage shows how rags-to-riches programs perpetuate the myth of the American Dream, glorifying the economic winners, fostering tolerance for income inequality, and dampening support for redistributive policies that could improve people’s lives.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
New Books in Sociology