Buzz-Kill the Spectacle

When the spectacle works, the observer is rendered speechless and thoughtless.  All one can do is experience/endure/consume the event.  If there are words, they are words like: "Wow," "Awesome," "Amazing," "Wonderful," "Holy Shit!"  Each new spectacle has to "out-do" the last iteration of the form.  The "wow" factor has a short shelf-life.  What is "wow" this moment, might not be so "wow" in the next moment.

If the observer has the ability to step back, to think, to ask questions, the game is almost up.  If the observer is watching him or herself watching the spectacle, if there is already a distance, there is something wrong with the connection.  If the observer thinks to ask any of the following questions, there is a major BUZZ-KILL that any grand spectacle may not be able to overcome: "What is this shit?"  "What is this telling me?"  "What is it saying?"  "What are the underlying assumptions?" "What does it all mean?" "What am I feeling and thinking while I'm watching this?" "Who cares?"

If the observer is often in this buzz-kill mode, chances are we talking about a "subversive mother!"