Question “Reality” TV
This week I admit I did succumb to watching Jersey Shore—okay and I watched Real World Washington, D.C. and Frank the Entertainer A Basement Affair-–shh!, and although, I find these shows entertaining (acutually I find them absolutely hillarious), I also realize that reality TV programming is alarming and, truthfully indicative of a much larger trend. However, much like a lone swimmer in the ocean, the cultural currents we are swimming in are not always evident (‘course, if you are on the shore or in a helicopter, you can easily see the ocean and it’s encompassing patterns). So here’s what I want you to respond to, feel free to nuance, refute or support any of what I pose here.
What larger lesson can we glean from the meglomania and absurdity of reality TV?
Need help coming up with a lesson….here are some ideas: Is it that it is human nature for us to “enjoy” watching a train wreck and if so why has reality tv proliferated in the past eight years and not before? Could it be that our society accepts impropriety as entertainment? Are we just fascinated with voyeurism? Perhaps it is the idea that we are all “stars” in our own “reality;” thus we unconsciously identify with the “stars” of these “reality” shows (for further evidence of this check your Facebook or myspace–who is the “star” of this site?). If this is your take on the trend, make sure you define “star” and “reality.” Perhaps since reality tv is actually scripted (see me if you want more info. on this) you could argue that “reality” tv presents a “reality” that is stereotypical and full of social and cultural stereotypes that are 1) simple to understand, 2) easy to digest, and 3) basically set up so that the populace with the least intelligence (and most intolerance) can process it, which thus serves to further “dumb” down our nation,while simultaneously reinforcing social stereotypes and in return offering a certain amount of comfort (“Yes, your sterotypical notions are indeed right”) to the audience. (OUCH! Vitriolic, I know!)
OR maybe there is nothing to our reality tv obsession, it is a fad, like any other fad, and it will fade into random obscurity only to be showcased twenty years from now in a V-H1 countdown show. There is a larger lesson to be learned, whatever you argue, back it up with a clear example that supports your ideas.
One thing you may want to do is check the TV listings to see how much Reality TV dominates our viewing. Please respond before Friday, 1/22/2010 by 3:30 pm. Remember grammar, spelling, punctuation counts–so proof before you post. Be clear, use solid examples to prove your point and be concise. This is a dialogue so check back and read others’ responses and feel free to post multiple times.
I agree with Nick. I feel one of the major reasons Americans watch reality TV is to feel a sense of accomplishment that we are much better off than those people. For example, some paople might watch Jersey Shore and think to themselves, “Wow, these people are crazy, getting into fights on the boardwalk and putting pickles under house mates’ beds.” While thinking this, it comforts them because then they realize how much better off and more mature they are.
In some ways I think that reality TV is a fad. Viewers enjoy watching “trainwrecks”, and feeling like they are so much better than the ones on TV. “The Jerry Springer Show” has been on for over 19 years, much longer than reality television. People have always enjoyed watching other humans struggle. Back to the times of gladiators, Romans wanted to witness others struggle for survival. Now viewers use reality to see these fights. It’shuman nature to practice voyeurism, and to intrude on the lives of others. It’s like having a pet, you’re watching a mouse scurry around the maze in search of cheese (really you’re watching Snookie search for her “tan guido”)
Kylie, I totally agree with you about the 18 Kids and Counting. I love that they didn’t change who they were as a family just because they were being filmed. I think it says a lot about the type of people they are, and how strong their family must be to handle being in front of a camera all the time.
Jacque, I agree with the whole Survivor scripted thing. I wondered throughout the season about Russell finding those hidden immunity idols. I never thought before that it could have been scripted, but that was crazy that he found three of them. The producers had to have gave him extra hints in order to try and stir up trouble among the cast. Survivor was the one reality show that I thought was the most real, but now i’m not so sure. It just goes to show that true reality isn’t good enough anymore.
Oh and to mention the analogy of looking at an ocean from a helicopter. People who watch reality TV religously aren’t able to see the effect that it has on our society. Only those who don’t watch it are able to realize it. You would think that reality TV is causing our society to become like something out of “Fahrenheit 451” but I honestly don’t believe this. Humans have always wanted to see the behavior of the extremities of society. I don’t think reality TV is the end of the world, but people behave like what they see. As we become more and more drawn to these shows, we start to act like the stars. Only the ones in the helicopter can see this.
I’m sorry but I totally disagree whoever mentioned “18 Kids and Counting”. They certainly didn’t change their way-of-life because of the show, but that’s a bad thing. The Duggars are just as bad as the guidos, but in an entirely different way. I don’t care what anyone says, the way that the Duggars live shouldn’t be the norm and people behaving like them is just as bad as “Real World” watchers. People watch “18 Kids and Counting” and “Jersey Shore” for they same reasons, we want to see how “crazy’ people live. Don’t get me wrong, the Duggars love their kids but I’d be worried if more families idolized their lack of knowledge about science.
Chrissy, I agree with your statement that “true reality isn’t good enough anymore.” We’ve already seen so many fights and struggles, that we need more exciting and difficult ones to keep us interested. People who watch reality TV aren’t living in real reality anymore. They’re watching what producers create to fill in the blank spots.
I agree. If people wanted to see people with their lives together all they would have to do is look outside. I think that people who spend all their time watch reality TV aren’t living in reality. They are living in a world that TV producers create. They live vicariously through the outrageous acts of people on TV.
I think it is bacause our society has been severly desensitized. we laugh at other people because we don’t know haow not to.
Also our society is very egotistical. We think about ourselves and only ourselves.
I guess it doesn’t help the matter to say its all fake. People want to belive stuff so bad.
Jacque: I agree with you. I am entertained by watching Maury and other shows about crazy people. A train wreck, even though I’m ashamed to admit it, would be entertaining. It’d be devasting but intruging. Maybe we’re all a little disturbed because of the drastic change in our society.
I believe the respect shown in Reality TV is portrayed in everyday life. The other day at our game, the ref told the coach we were the most disrespectful team he’s ever seen. Why is that? Why is competition more important than our core values?! This just irritates me. I was embarrassed to be sitting for the team. I believe the media we are shown tells us this is okay! And it’s certaintly not.
I’m siding with Jonathan on the 18 Kids and Counting. Either way, insane lifestyles or not normal lifestyles are portrayed. They just show a very conservative way of life. I mean no kissing until marriage?! It’s outrageous and people follow that and want to be like that just because it’s a fad on TV.
While I have never watched any of the above mentioned TV shows, I believe that reality TV is a source of entertainment that is enjoyable to watch and also make us, as viewers, feel better about our own lives. In a way it gives us a view of different lifestyles that are easy to understand, but much of it is not exactly real. Most of it seems over exaggerated from what I’ve heard. People really don’t act and live in the extremes that they do in reality TV.
Ms. Shuja I’m SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo sorry about putting Mr. Shuja!!! Sorrry again 🙂
I agree with Erin. We need a way to better our selves and reality tv provides that. We simply can’t go out and so something like write a story or read a book anymore. We have become depndent on the mis-fortune of others to lift us up.
Like what Chrissy said, the producers are shaping the whole show they way they want. In reality, no one is shaping us, making our lives more dramatic and exciting. It’s ironic how far away from real life reality TV is.
I completly agree with you Katie.
I have a very big problem with the Reality shows based on “families.” For me, my question is always the same: what were the parents thinking when they agreed to do the show? It obviously wasn’t what was best for their children, I can tell you that much. Take 18 Kids And Counting for example. The show is about a family because… its big? What does that say about small families, that they aren’t good enough? Even if the parents claim to love their children and blah blah blah, do you think they actually thought that the best thing for their kids was to shove a camera in their faces? No, it isn’t about the kids at all or even a strong sense of family for that matter; its all about money. The title of the show is 18 Kids AND COUNTING. Which means, if they stop having kids, they stop having a show. And if that happens, no more publicity, no more money, no more fame. So they keep having kids, which, in turn, turns said child into a tool to make money, instead of a person. Their value as a human is lessened in the eyes of their parents, which leads to less love, leading to low self-esteem and self hatred. And they can say they love their children as much as they want, because in the end, they are all just actors on a TV show. You can never show what a family is really like when they are conscious of a camera in the room. Did the kids get a choice in the matter? Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t. It doesn’t matter. If they wanted privacy, they can never have it, even if they leave the show. I heard a great line from CSI the other night, “We all live in glass houses, be careful where you take your shower.”
Now, there is a difference between actors who play the roles of mommy and daddy, and people on TV who think they are the REAL version of the average family, when in reality (ironic much?), they are not.
I first have to admitt that I’ve suddenly become addicted to both MTV and VH1. I used to detest reality television with Big Brother and VH1 countdowns being the only acceptions, and VH1 countdowns aren’t even reality tv. Then, thanks to Eric Millward, I tuned into Jersey Shore. Hi, I’m Maci (but my Jersey Shore name is Mwoww) and I’m a reality show addict.
I think there are alot of reasons people watch reality tv. I think the main targeted audience of shows like Jersey Shore and The Real World are teenagers and young adults. I’m not trying to stereotype at all when I say this, but I think it’s a reasonable opinion. Not all teenagers are self centered by any means, but I’d say a fair share of them are. And those who are not are still worried about themselves to some extent, and there’s nothing wrong with that everyone should think of themselves every now and then. Everyone is sucked into the dramas of life, but teenagers and young adults even more so. Everything seems to be a big deal and oh the drama!! I think reality television, even though it’s scripted, sucks us in. We watch it to possibly feel better about ourselves and laugh at the stupidity of the people onscreen. Some people may even feel they relate to the people on a reality show, even if the person on the show takes things to a more extreme measure. We can all relate to drama though, we’ve all dealt with it at some point.
Alot of elements affect a reality show. It is scripted but it still leaves you wanting more. You can never wait to find out what happens next. But another pulling factor is the voyuerism to some. They find it captivating and they get wrapped up in who’s with who and what’s going on all the time. I don’t personally agree with this because to me that is a private act. But some people really get into it. These reality shows portray this kind of behavior as okay and fun. This could possibly be damaging to people who are fairly young and are watching these shows and mimicking them. But to those who are older and understand this concept more see it as a fun time and what’s wrong with having a fun time right?
I think what we can learn is just not take ourselves so seriously. People overreact to things and I think by watching these people do such and be so increadibly self centered we can realize that nothing is THAT big of a deal. We need to learn to deal with REAL LIFE things and situations in a civilized manor instead of going around punching people (Ronni-Jersey Shore) and starting fights (Jwoww-JS) and yelling at each other (Ashley and Mike-The Real World DC). Watching these shows creates this world in our mind, a world of drama and fighting and voyuerism. But we need to be able to distinguish the difference between reality and reality shows.
Oh and as for the body of ocean…
When your ‘swimming’ in reality tv you can’t see the whole collective unconscience (the ocean). But once you step out of the reality show into actual reality (the helicopter) and start to really see life as it is not as it’s portrayed, then you can finally see the entire ocean and all it’s beauty.
Jacque:
About the parasite video, I’m so super glad you said that! I looked away once I’ll admit. But what people don’t realize is that video right there, that’s someone’s reality. Reality isn’t always fun and parties and boys/girls. It can be disturbing and vile, but it’s what’s real. You may not like it, and you may be able to look away from a movie, but face it, you can’t look away from reality.
Eric M:
Great analogy to the telephane number. You’re a smart cookie! But it’s very true. I mean the shows still pull us in more and more, deeper and deeper, but how many times can Ronni get in a fight before you get suprised when it DOESN’T happen? It’s still suprising and some what riveting, but it’s essentially all the same stuff.
Oh and Eric, Erin, Ms. Shuja, and everyone else who watches Jersey Shore I’m watching the season finale right now 🙂
I think the reality t.v. trend is just part of everything else mentioned. We are known as the “me” generation, where everything is self-centered, from being our own stars on facebook to having our own t.v. shows. But even so, we love looking into other peoples lives, seeing all their glamour and drama. This is why shows like The Hills are so popular, although scripted. They entertain you, letting you escape from reality without watching something thought- provoking.
Although it might be a fad, it still represents how much our t.v. shows, and society, has changed.
I agree with Megan in saying that reality TV only shows us what they want us to see. For example, I know that shows like, The Hills and Laguna Beach are scripted. Also, editing can do wonders. All of the drama on those shows is completely blown out of porportion. They do this so you watch it because I’ll admit, I think it’s funny and entertaining and I know a lot of other people do too. I agree with Kendra,we are a very self-centered society and I think that’s why we enjoy reality TV shows.
Reality TV is, in my opinion, a fad. I doubt reality TV will be popular twenty years from now. Something else will be the “new reality TV.”
Even though I have never watched these reality shows when they are actually on TV, I have seen these shows on The Soup. Which I find hilarious by the way. Like most people have said these shows are just a fad that will fall out of existence within 10 years. At least thats what I hope happens. I think we can learn that everyone does live different and that some people are willing to put their lives out there for everyone to see to get their 15 min. of fame. It’s just how our society works right now, but that doesn’t mean I agree with society. Personally I like a little bit of privacy but that may just be me.
I believe that reality tv is accepted by society so that we can see things that we know will never happen to us. We want to live that exciting life through the scripted characters that we see. We want to believe that it is real, but we know it is not. I think that, with time, the fad of reality tv will pass, only to be replaced with something far more ridiculous and fun to watch.
I agree with Meagan and karissa in saying that we only see what the executives of the shows want us to see. They can edit whatever they want so that we only see the really dramatic parts of a show and not the boring parts where they just have a normal life. They just show us what they think that we want to see, which is just violence, and other “crazy” acts. Reality television is just mindless programming that we watch for pure entertainment.
I’m not entirely sure what i make of reality telivision. For the most part i think that it’s all scripted and blown out of proportion. I think that majority of the people on these shows are just looking to get on tv. There aren’t many who actually want to teach their audience something. Heck, i don’t think half of the actors even care a bout entertaining people or getting some kind of message out there. It’s all about getting your name out there. I mean sure there are some. Like Michaela said about the Teen Moms show, there are shows out there where people are trying to show others what you can get yourself into. If someone watches a show like this i would hope that they could take something from it. Hopefully seeing how hard some of these teen couples have it trying to raise a baby will help someone make a good decision.
These producers are just showing everyone what they want to see. I feel like sometimes we watch these shows so we can compare them to our own lives. I think that some shows make the audience think ” wow i’m glad my life isn’t like that”. But other shows i think we watch because our lives will never be like that. Since we cant have that level of drama, chaos, and entertainment in our own lives we like to see it happen in someones else’s world. I don’t watch all that much tv but I can say that i get a kick out of watching these shows, I think that everyone does.
Thank you guys so so much for reassuring me that I’m not a freak. I was thinking about how our society has become so desensitized to blood, gore, and morib oddities and I was so quick to pass judgement and then I thought “Jacque, you’re just as bad”. I go out and rent the new “Saw” movie when it comes out and get so disgusted yet I can’t turn away. It’s like a morbid addiction.
Chrissy, I think they just started scripting it in the last two seasons or something. I don’t see how anyone could be that smart and least of all a hill billy like Russel :P. Either he got lucky one too many times or they scripted it and I’m thinking it was the latter.
Emily,
I totally agree with you about the families in reality TV shows…it is really like prostituting your kids’ soul. Sounds harsh, but who would put their kid under a microscope like that. Jon and Kate plus 8….just gross!
As for voyeurism being human nature, this has not always been the case, I think Johnny mentioned this. The home has been historically seen as a private place. It hasn’t been until modern times that the idea of peeking into others’ lives has been accepted. We’ll read A Doll’s House in March and the fact that the action takes place in the living room was “groundbreaking” especially during that time period. Psycho was another turning point in the genre of voyeurism…I’m talking the famous shower scene and it has escalated from there. You can watch Big Brother 24/7 on the internet…I don’t, but just to make the point. Yesterday on the radio, a woman called in about a problem she had with her Twitter. Her boss followed her on Twitter and made comments about her updates, but never made status updates himself. In fact, he made a Twitter account just to follow her. Creepy, huh? I think it is typical. Every day a ton of the world posts very personal pictures about themselves on Facebook (or the passe myspace) and posts personal and often times private, intimate, almost confessional “status updates.” Even if you think reality tv is pedestrian and for the “fools” of the world, don’t kid yourself! Social networking sites are cesspools of voyeurism and for many they can’t see the currents at all, these sites are so popular their content and use of them validate them and make them socially acceptable. But since I canceled my facebook and refuse to get a twitter account….I’m on the shore kids!
I agree that reality tv is made for the most incompetent and intolerant people. Intelligent people don’t pride themselves in knowing that they are a part of society that can watch a woman go through 12 possible baby daddies. I also agree that television promotes stereo types. It takes common beliefs and makes them into realities. It lets the viewer see the part of the world that he or she wants to see, which can be different than the actually reality.
Yea and I tuned in for the second season….mind numbing.