Are the TV shows I watch influencing my view of the election?

I watch a lot of TV. I tell myself that it’s mostly high-quality TV, and it’s not like I’m watching reruns of Hee-Haw, but it’s a lot of couch potato action nonetheless. I am starting to wonder how much of my views of the world and politics are filtering through the shows I watch.

For example, I am a tireless evangelist for The Americans. It’s about Soviet spies posing as a normal family in the United States in the early ‘80s. They go on missions that can seem outlandish: Bugging the home of the secretary of defense and a CIA agent, infiltrating the FBI, smuggling bioweapons, and murder, murder, murder. I watch so much of this show that I think it’s completely plausible that the Russians hacked into the Democratic National Committee emails to spur the election of Donald Trump, who would be more favorable to the Russian regime. I can almost picture senior citizens Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, working one last spying mission for Vladimir Putin. Maybe middle-aged Paige is helping. Henry is still playing video games.

We have been watching a lot of Veep lately, which focuses on the absurd games that go on behind the scenes in federal politics. That’s why the hacked emails don’t surprise me or bother me too much: I already know how the sausage is made. I’m sure staff at these political offices suggest a lot of distasteful tactics against rivals and they may act or not act on those suggestions. Some of the content is alarming, but heads have already rolled and I am far more alarmed by the idea that a foreign government may be attempting to influence our election.

I also watch Game of Thrones and House of Cards, both shows in which monarchs and politicians will stop at nothing to attain more power, supported by a network of conspiracies. Cersei recently blew up the equivalent of a church in a densely-populated city to take the crown and Frank Underwood’s first onscreen act was killing a dog that annoyed him. So these people have zero qualms about doing awful things to get ahead. That’s why I think it’s scarily plausible that there’s some kind of quid pro quo between Trump and Putin, either on a personal or governmental level. Maybe the two have business dealings together, which might explain why Trump refuses to release his tax return that might show his wealth has ties to Russia or why Trump suggested the spectacularly stupid idea of running NATO like a protection racket if countries aren’t paid up on their dues.

Yes, I am aware that I sound like I’m sitting at my computer wearing my tinfoil hat. Developments like these are usually due to human fallibility and chaos rather than some Manchurian Candidate conspiracy.

But I just need to take a minute here. I’ve been trying not to talk politics too much online but I can’t let it pass that a presidential nominee has actually suggested that a foreign power led by a brutally repressive leader should spy on the United States for that nominee’s political gain. Donald Trump has requested espionage into his own country. That is not a joke or a gaffe; that is legitimately jaw-dropping behavior from a possible president. The man is not well. Trump just got the nomination a week ago and he’s already flirting with treason. Sad.