Like millions of people, I watched the Trump/Clinton presidential debate the other night. I learned very little new, but was happy to see, in my opinion, boorish Trump scrunched in every category, starting from the first sentence when he asked permission to call Clinton Madame Secretary to his last-incoherent rant about trade as an answer to whether he would support Clinton if she won the election. But none of this surprised me: his continual insults to women and obese individuals; his ambivalence about which was the worst negotiation in U.S. history – NAFTA or the Iran deal; his proclamation of how smart he was to avoid paying taxes in the same breath (almost) as saying our government was derelict in not updating infrastructure (not enough money), and so on. Nothing new. Nothing interesting. Everything negative.

Yet, I watched, along with countless others, waiting for Trump’s gaffes, hoping they would spill over as an avalanche, which they did, happy with Clinton’s stellar composure and performance. Finally, I thought, her lead would widen enough to ease my fear of the alternative.

But the next day there was Trump again on TV, saying how satisfied he was with the debate, claiming he won it by a “landslide” according to every poll (clearly we read different polls). Apparently the race was still a dead heat in Pennsylvania. I didn’t change my mind, of course. However, according to the political pundits, neither did anyone of Trump’s base. I’m puzzled about the so-called “undecided.” Who in the world could be undecided about our choice – Trump or Clinton – at this point? It’s wondering which is more beautiful: a rusty thimble or Notre Dame?

And then I remembered what I already knew. It’s all about entertainment, laughing at rather than laughing with, but still laughing (as a substitute for crying), living in a world of virtual reality, a theatrical performance, much like online culture: say what you will, no holds barred, it’s all transient electronics, not the real thing. Nothing is a lie because nothing is real; the world is a mirage…but very scary, at least to me.

Some aspects of this surreal existence may feel safe, since it’s vicarious, as Ross Douthat points out: no personal risk, all part of a storybook, virtual reality TV. We are obsessed with the alchemy of reality morphed into entertainment. We create images we love to hate, so we can discuss our impressions with our friends, laugh a little, temper our moods if we need to, bond with a common enemy, and then have some pizza and blame the media.

“Oh,” we complain, “why does the media report and distort everything for ratings? Why give Trump so much air time?” A documentary movie coming out about Amada Knox’s eight-year battle with the Italian legal system is apparently “a savage denunciation of the way entertainment imperatives have corrupted the news media.” And, “At this singular moment of our political history, the resonance is deafening.”

We blame journalists for the decadence we flock to, just as Trump blames everyone and everything for his failures (which he doesn’t acknowledge even exist!). Would we prefer that the media didn’t report what they witness?

Yes, entertainment trumps our thoughts, shapes our opinions, becomes our way of life, threatens our future by making it a “movie,” and we blame the media and electronics. Are journalists our failings? Do we need to be putty in their hands? Must we blame the messenger for our actions and values? I think not. What can we do about it?

Here’s an idea. I read a thought-provoking article in the New York Times called Letter of Recommendation: The Useless Machine.

The sole function of the Useless Machine is to turn itself off. Switch it on, and it tells itself to flick off. What a wonderful creation! How concise! It’s described as “a kind of mechanical slapstick.” I want one! We have much to learn from this masterful invention, referred to as a “pointless gadget.”

I think it has a very clear point: turn yourself off. Enough is enough! We’re pretty close to rock bottom, if we’re not there already.

But still…I get it…don’t elect Trump!  Don’t go subterranean.