The choice may be unforced but, heh, with a television in every home, it makes consumerism the national past time. Wasn't if Kruschev who said, "Oh, we have televisions, we just haven't figured out how to get them into every home?" (Does anyone else remember this?)

That may be revisionist history but the point is that it is much easier to control your citizens when such a tool is available for transmitting propaganda. If you live in a capitalist society, what better tool for encouraging mass consumption?

Oh, thats right, teribus doesn't believe in propaganda ;>}