TV Quiz Show Brain-Rot

I might expand on this soon, but I need you to understand this...

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We've often seen that social media's infinite scrolling and slot-machine style refreshers are based upon the methods implemented by casinos in order to keep us playing the game (or in their case, using the application). But what we do not discuss often enough is how these same casino-like situations are implemented by television in order to keep us paying attention to the screen.

As someone who suffers from migraines, I have recently been noticing my age and one of the things I am noticing is the fact that some of these television shows that I would normally enjoy, I am finding I am unable to watch. There's so many flashing lights, random noises and performative screaming that I physically don't know what I'm supposed to be paying attention to and yet, nobody else seems to notice around me.

I am reminded of a scene in the film Matilda where she wants to sit and read Moby-Dick but her family want to watch a brain-rot gameshow. I'm not necessarily talking about gameshows here, but they come into it too. I'm covering quiz shows - those that deceive you into thinking that you're being 'clever' when you're actually just rotting your brain even more.

So here's my question: are these television shows equivalent to brain-rot content on social media? The simple answer that I'll cover here is yes they are. They run on the same systems, but they also employ the same tactics to keep you paying attention even at the detriment to your own health.

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1: Depth? Who's That?

Quiz shows normally get the viewer involved. There are questions projected on to the screen and when the contestant selects an answer, it lights up or the answer appears on a bright flashing board. This is usually followed by another bright colour to signal whether the answer is correct or incorrect - again followed by some canned-noise from the control room replicating the sound of a studio audience.

The questions though aren't of any real depth. You're being deceived into believing that you're smart and so, it makes you feel good to watch the show. In the UK, shows like The Chase and others employ these tactics alongside semi-universal trivia that around 85-90% of the general public over the age of 18 should be able to answer. This is done every few questions (don't believe me, then pay attention to the show) in order to make whoever is watching at home feel good about themselves. The predictability of the format and the flashing light of the answer gives people a nice feeling, it is positive and thus, they'll watch the episode next time - often without even thinking about it.

This too, is employed by casinos. There are semi-universally understood games that anyone can get involved in. For example: everyone knows how to play that game where you slide the coins through a machine to drop more coins (often some will tell you this is the optimal place to stand in an earthquake). It requires little to no thought, it isn't an esoteric game like Texas Hold'em, and 85-90% of people who are over 18 usually have a coin or two in their pocket. It requires no depth for the most part, but you get the point and you feel good not because you're winning, but because the casino deceives you into feeling like you're an active participant in the culture and lifestyle.

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2: Happy Shots

We've already looked at the fact that the flashing lights of a casino and the flashing lights of a quiz show give you a dopamine shot. We've also looked at the fact that getting a semi-universal question correct does the same thing. But what else does this?

Another thing that does this is the predictability of the winnings. Many people already acknowledge that if the prize pot is very high, there is a very low chance the person participating will be taking it all home as the house always wins. Now, if you read that previous sentence again, can you tell whether I'm talking about casinos or quiz shows? No you can't. I'm talking about both of them.

Giving you these shots of dopamine at teeny-tiny intervals is the best predicator of whether you will watch the show next time. There's no question as to why ITV has an entire channel dedicated to these casino-styled quiz shows. And the more you watch these shows the more likely you are to leave the television on in the background whilst doing other things even if other things are on, and thus these channels get more viewers and a higher viewership count.

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3: Where Is My Mind?

Mindlessness is one of the things we are trying to combat when it comes to TikTok Brain-Rot and so, why aren't we trying to combat it in television? Are we really watching the quiz shows in order to become 'more intelligent' or are we watching it to feel good when we get an easy question correct and thus, watch a predictable set of events mindlessly?

Quiz shows are deceptive because they are built on the lie of participation and 'learning' - the same way that TikTok Brain-Rot is. Remember, all those videos about self-diagnosed people with all these 'disorders' also 'teach' people about what might or might not be certain conditions that they aren't qualified to diagnose - are all over TikTok and are some of the most watched videos of their kind. This is basically the same thing. It kills the mind - you are watching aimlessly believing that you are taking part, believing you are being educated by a reputable source. Since when did television become reputable? Yeah, never.

Mindless watching comes most when you believe what you're watching is going to basically go in by absorptions without learning. We know that learning is meant to be difficult - cognitive function only happens when something is difficult to do and thus, facts transfer into long term memory. Television game shows are all pretty much the same and they are known as 'easy watching'. Does that scream 'learning' to you? No. Yes, it might be 'fun' but it doesn't predicate itself on being a game of trivial pursuit. Instead, it is always 'how much general knowledge do you know?' and you will even hear the hosts say 'how much do you know about X topic?' or 'are you an expert on X, Y or Z?' It's ridiculously persistent, like an infection.

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Conclusion(s)

What do you think of game shows and quiz shows?

Do you think they are far too prevalent in our society?

Do you think it is making our society more mindless and dumb as we continue to work in (and in some cases often increase) casino tactics into our television watching?

Do you enjoy quiz shows? Why/Why not?

But most importantly, have you ever thought about this along the lines of social engineering?

Are our television shows trying to make gambling more normalised?

We can definitely see the increase of gambling culture online as everything becomes a polymarket.

Is the increase of casino politics on our televisions simply a coincidence?

I don't believe in coincidences.