I remain absolutely fascinated by the American cultural trend towards more and more passive entertainment.

On Friday, at the Justified/Stripped show, I noticed that the vast majority of the audience stood and watched the large video screens of people dancing to fantastic dance music. Rather than dance; rather than even watch dancers perform live on stage, these (mostly) young women were more comfortable staring at an enormous screen full of people dancing than actually DANCING themselves. It was their choice to watch people have fun, or have their own fun, and many of them chose the former. While me, a 9 year old girl, and a ragingly high gay boy strutted and sang and bumped butts and jumped around, most of the audience stood agape and watched the video screens.

The best was how, during the intermission between sets, everyone was milling around in the outer hallway area of Staples Center. Then, the stadium background music is replaced by a “THUMP THUMP THUMP!” The ocean of coifed, tanned, gorgeous people collectively gasped, split, and headed for the aisle entrances. I dallied, went to the bathroom (the line had disappeared!), and entered the arena to find that we were 5 minutes into a very loud, driving, artfully edited MTV advertisement playing on the huge overhead video screens. When it ended, the audience applauded, and waited another 10 for Justin Timberlake to come on. They applauded for an advertisement. Even worse, they applauded for an advertisement that had tricked them into running back to their seats to watch it.

Same thing happens at every Dance For Peace/Freedom/Drunkenness/Whatever. There’s a cluster of maybe 100 or 200 people dancing, and then a circle of people around them…just sort of watching. Rather than just get out there and shake it, get lost in it, get goofy with it, get whatever, they just want to watch people shake that shit.

If they think we look stupid, they don’t show it. They don’t point and laugh, they don’t throw tomatoes, or clap when things get crazy. They just stand blankly, arms slack at their sides, and watch. It’s kind of creepy, really. The only time I ever seem to interact with these people is when I accidentally get all “danger hoop” on their asses and accidentally toss a lethal flying plastic DEATH HOOP™ at someone’s head. Then it’s all “Oh! Oops. Ha ha. Thanks! Wahoo!” But that’s it.

What does it mean that people are so eager to live vicariously, and not live at all? Is it part of being numbed by our weird cultural empire? Are we opiate by our lifestyles? Or just tired from our 9-to-5s? I don’t know, but I wish everybody would get out there and grab their enjoyment by the balls. Or at least get out there and grab some stranger’s little dyed-pink dog. It’s the least you can do.