conservatives and the Apprentice

[Robin3]

Do you think there's a link between between being socially/morally conservative and watching The Apprentice?

The reason I bring this up is that there are some other boards on the internet that I've been to for discussion of the show, and I notice that their moderation tends to be much stricter, and much more conservatively biased than what I see for general science fiction or comics discussion boards.

I've seen this several times to the degree that I could say that people with such a viewpoint may self-select.

It's hard for me to put my finger on the correlation. I notice, for example, that the big success-industry companies, Steven Covey and Franklin Quest, merged and became Franklin Covey, and they happen to be located in the Mormon state of Utah.

I'm not making a judgment on this, but I think there's some sort of undercurrent of "success" orientation in conservative culture that may make this so, and hence affect the viewership of this show. I'm opening the discussion to theories or ideas you have about what's going on here.

[Mia]

I am not quite sure what you are trying to say. But for the record I'm a Christian and I am a conservative and I do watch the Apprentice . But I mostly watch it as a lesson about what not do at work. I've learned some great lessons on that show. It's amazing watching people sabotoge themselves on tasks.

One reason I like The Apprentice over other reality game shows such as Survivor. Is that it tends to be more fair.
If you get fired on the Apprentice 9/10 it's due to the fact that you failed a task or made a mis-step in a descision. And Donald Trump is the one who will do the firing. Many people don't like Trump. But I do, he respects people who work hard and get's the job done and brings in a profit. Kissing his @$$ won't work.

Whereas on Survivor it's more like school. If your fellow tribe members don't like you (for whatever reason no matter how petty). you're gone.

[Robin3]

I do tend to agree that the quality of an Apprentice season is directly related to how fair Trump is in his firings. When he got away from it(fairness), viewers tended to leave the show.

But I wouldn't call that desire for a fair show something unique to conservative beliefs. I do notice on the discussions, there's always more talk about the ethics of various persons' actions, so maybe that would account for the group that it draws.

I'm not sure if that's it, but thanks for your comment and feel free to add in more perspective.

[Mia]

I do tend to agree that the quality of an Apprentice season is directly related to how fair Trump is in his firings. When he got away from it(fairness), viewers tended to leave the show.

But I wouldn't call that desire for a fair show something unique to conservative beliefs. I do notice on the discussions, there's always more talk about the ethics of various persons' actions, so maybe that would account for the group that it draws.

I'm not sure if that's it, but thanks for your comment and feel free to add in more perspective.

No, I don't think so either. You were asking about Conservatives and The Apprentice. And I'm a Conservative and I watch the Apprentice.

By the way I caught Donald Trump on CNN last year just prior to the US election. And while he didn't overtly say it. I got the impression he did not like the Republican Party. He seemed to think that history showed the country (US) prospered better economically under the Democratic party. Don't know whether or not that is true. But that's what he more or less said.

[cactusmaac]

For what it's worth, I'm a conservative who doesn't watch the Apprentice.

It's a show made to ego-stroke someone who doesn't need the ego-stroking and the challenges the contestants go through are designed to make it entertaining for an audience, not select for good managers.

[Greg Hatcher]

I don't know what the correlation is to The Apprentice, but there's really only one rule I have for moderating this board: play nice with your fellow posters. That's all I care about. Otherwise people can discuss what they please. I try not to yell at people for going 'off topic,' because, you know, we're just hanging out here in the virtual realm shooting the breeze. Just don't be rude and you can drift in any direction you please.

[Robin3]

Hi Greg,

No, I'm not talking about you. I hope that implication didn't come across. There are some sites that specialize purely in tv stuff, and I've noticed a different tone there. A lot of control freakism that sadly, tends to weaken the discussion: "Your posted photo is 2 pixels too wide! Fix it!. No divergent threads! Aaah!" LOL.

To get back to what Mia said, I think Trump supports whichever politician that gives him what he wants. Trump is at the level where he can essentially buy favors, but he probably is a Democrat, if I'd have to guess. That wouldn't necessarily play into the viewership.

What I'm trying to find out is if there's an intersection of what is called, "conservative business culture" and political conservatism.

Conservative business culture has the rules:
1. Men must wear suits and ties, and the suits must be black
2. Address people by their last name unless told otherwise
3. Never leave work before the boss
4. The number of hours you work determines your chances for promotion.
5. Withhold personal comments or displays of emotion, except for when drinking with colleagues, and still keep it to a minimum.
6. You have to go to beer with your colleagues on Friday to be part of the "group"

Would a politically conservative person be more likely to embrace these rules than a non-politically conservative person?

[Mia]

I don't know about liberal or conservative. Those are the rules people generally follow if they have bills to pay, mouths to feed and want to keep their job.

[Indigo Al]

The link seems to make sense.

I myself am socially liberally and somewhat fiscal conservative, and I do watch The Apprentice.

[adamthered]

I'm a liberal cat who watches The Apprentice. It's kinda like if it was me, in Bizarro World. I enjoy the show, to see massive egos collide and smile at all the phony laughs when Trump makes a funny. Though I will say I'm quite pleased the Rebecca and Randall are in the Final Two. Out of everyone on the show, they've been the only two I've been impressed with.

It's also quality time spent with my wife. Our Thursday night Survivor/Apprentice TV block.

[Indigo Al]

I will say I'm quite pleased the Rebecca and Randall are in the Final Two. Out of everyone on the show, they've been the only two I've been impressed with.



I'm certain that was no accident. They made for the best final two, and I'm sure the producers steered Trump to make sure it came down to them no matter what. They are both impressive individuals, but they're also way photogenic, and make for a riveting final two.

I personally cannot stand Donald Trump. I'm waiting for some ballsy person who doesn't care about their career to give him some lip (or worse!) in boardroom.

[Mia]

I'm certain that was no accident. They made for the best final two, and I'm sure the producers steered Trump to make sure it came down to them no matter what. They are both impressive individuals, but they're also way photogenic, and make for a riveting final two.

I personally cannot stand Donald Trump. I'm waiting for some ballsy person who doesn't care about their career to give him some lip (or worse!) in boardroom.

Actually I can't agree. Both Rebecca and Randall are, more....let's say rule followers and well behaved. In short they are pretty much the same temperment wise. I can't see their going up against each other as being exciting.

If they wanted riveting tv or ratings grabbers. It would have made much more sense to keep someone who is more volatile or controversial. Then Trump should have tossed Rebecca earlier and kept Ala.

[Robin3]

Actually I can't agree. Both Rebecca and Randall are, more....let's say rule followers and well behaved. In short they are pretty much the same temperment wise. I can't see their going up against each other as being exciting.
.

Rule followers, hmm?

Yeah, that's probably right. I wonder what it's like to be that kind of person. It seems strange and odd to me to follow rules all the time. You see a lot of them rising in corporate america.

I think Bill was more of a situational thinker, though. If they did Apprentice All-Stars, it would be interesting to pit him against a goody two-shoes like Randal or Rebecca