The Capitol...Alive today?

I love The Hunger Games, it's one of my favorite book series. 

But I find it funny, how people read a dystopian book like The Hunger Games and say things about how they're so glad the world isn't like that. So glad we aren't in districts with an outlandish and cruel Capitol.
Funny because our society is kind of already a Capitol.
Crazy fashions no one has the money for or can understand.
Reality tv shows.
Celebrities who sacrifice their lives and morals for money and everyone else who is okay with it because it's "entertainment".
Words like "pimp", "ho", and "hate" are used sarcastically in every day speech with no thought towards their true meaning.
Diminishing the evil behind someone who sells and trafficks humans.
Invalidating the struggle of someone out there who is a victim.

I mean really, just how far away are we from tv shows where people really are dying for the viewing pleasure of others?