There are many reasons I don’t watch much television, but one of the big ones is how infuriated I can get at commercials. Last night I saw one for the National Association of Realtors that made me want to put my fist through the TV. Over a picture of happy children throwing a ball, the commercial intones that “home ownership contributes to higher self-esteem and better test scores.” Hey, NAR? FUCK YOU. Don’t you think everybody would like to be able to own a home? Do you really think that you are stimulating epiphanies amongst people who are renting? ‘Cause yeah, sure, they’re renting because they want to, and not because they have to. And now, because of your commercial, they’re thinking “Oh yeah, I should totally buy a house so my kids will have better self-esteem and test scores.” This commercial absolutely infuriates me with its tone-deaf message and implicit criticism of those who are unable to afford home ownership. Of course home ownership improves feelings of self-worth and benefits educational outcomes – that’s because those who can afford to buy a home are generally already living in one of the upper tiers of the social and economic hierarchy. What a solipsistic, circular, insulting, and demeaning piece of BS.