What is so bad about the show, and how do I tackle it without watching it?
The West Wing is an entertaining show, at least in the first season, set in a world where meritocracy is real, at least in the democratic party. Every character went to a prestigious college, is fast-talking and competent (unless they're a woman), and presents a completely uncritical look at how government functions. Every policy and procedure is presented as good, and anyone who wants to meaningfully change anything is a crazy person.
This is not how things work. There are real problems that the government could resolve, but doesn't because it's deliberately not set up to. Fundraising doesn't seem to matter, connections don't seem to matter, nothing that matters in DC in real life matters in the West Wing - only intelligence and competence. Even the things that should matter - compassion for your fellow people, a desire to make things better for others - doesn't matter in the West Wing.
This is fine if you remember it's fiction, but it's dangerous if you start believing it's real, or how things should work.
Sadly once one has contracted west wing brain, the only solution is euthanasia, it's the humane option at that point.
You're going to have to figure out a way to destroy them with their own logic.
