Is that your final answer? By Mike Crawford Why is America in general obsessed with these new T.V. game shows (Such as ÒWho wants to be a millionaireÓ). You donÕt know? Is that your final answer? Why are these game shows so popular? Is it because people enjoy watching others win money? Is it because people like watching others make fools out of themselves on national T.V.? Or is it because some of the shows are entertaining without requiring a lot of brain usage on the part of the viewer? When asked, a sampling of students at West High School overwhelmingly demonstrated the thought level needed for the questions. Out of five random people surveyed with questions from a previous edition of ÒWho wants to be a millionaire?Ó, all of whom did not watch the previous episode, all five correctly answered four out of the five questions. They didnÕt even need lifelines. Thank goodness because I doubt AT&T would have been able to patch them through. Is mindless T.V. really what America wants? Perhaps not. There are many shows of many genre that stress the American viewers brain further. For Sci-Fi fans there is ÒStar TrekÓ, for drama there is ÒERÓ. There is even ÒSports NightÓ, produced by ABC (who also shows ÒWho wants to be a Millionaire?Ó). Why are people watching the new network game shows? What makes them so popular? Are they too simplified or perfect the way they are? You donÕt know? Is that your final answer?