Reality

RealityT.V.
T.V.Creates an Alternate
Creates an AlternateReality
Reality

Imagine,you’re
Imagine, you’recooking
cookingdinner
dinnerwith
withyour
yourpartner
partnerwhen
whenall
allof
ofaasudden
suddenthe
theclock
clockstarts
startsticking
tickingdown.
down.Your
Your
children start gasping with anticipation. Will you finish in time and who will create the most delicious sidedish
children start gasping with anticipation. Will you finish in time and who will create the most delicious side dish
evertasted?
ever tasted?

Whilethis
While thismay
mayseem
seemslightly
slightlyexciting
excitingand
andmildly
mildlyentertaining,
entertaining,isisthis
thisreality?
reality? Television
Televisionshows
showscategorized
categorizedasas
‘reality’ would have us believe so. Reality television boasts real people tackling challenges or
‘reality’ would have us believe so. Reality television boasts real people tackling challenges or just everydayjust everydaylife,
life,
nogimmicks.
no gimmicks.But,But,isisthat
thattrue?
true?Of
Ofcourse
courseit’s
it’snot!
not!There
Thereare
arestill
stilleditors,
editors,crews,
crews,and
andproduction
productionschedules.
schedules.The
The
popularityofofreality
popularity realitytelevision
televisionhas
hasgiven
givensociety
societyananimage
imageofofthe
thereal
realworld
worldthat
thatisn’t
isn’tremotely
remotelyreal.
real.

Atthis
At thispoint
pointinintime,
time,we’ve
we’veall
allbeen
beenwarned
warnedon onthe
thedangers
dangersofofmedia
mediause
useespecially
especiallypertaining
pertainingtotoviolence
violenceand
and
other unacceptable behaviors. Studies by Dr. Bryan Gibson of Central Michigan University
other unacceptable behaviors. Studies by Dr. Bryan Gibson of Central Michigan University show excessive show excessive
viewingofofreality
viewing realityshows
showswith
withrelational
relationalaggression
aggressioncan
canactually
actuallycause
causepeople
peopletotobe
bemore
moreaggressive
aggressiveinintheir
their
actual lives. While it might seem like mindless entertainment, research repeatedly shows that
actual lives. While it might seem like mindless entertainment, research repeatedly shows that watching thesewatching these‘real
‘realshows
life’ life’ shows
wherewhere
peoplepeople treat others
treat others in horrible
in horrible ways
ways for for money
money or actually
or fame fame actually
affect affect brain chemistry.
brain chemistry.

Asififcausing
As causingreal
reallife
lifeaggression
aggressionweren’t
weren’tbad
badenough,
enough,reality
realitytelevision
televisionalso
alsocontributes
contributestotoskewed
skewedsocietal
societalviews
views
on whaton whatofkinds
kinds of behavior
behavior are acceptable.
are acceptable. The mereThefact
mere
thatfact
ourthat our society
society is so obsessed
is so obsessed with television
with reality reality as a
television
form as a form ofproves
of entertainment entertainment proves
this point. Whythis point.
do we findWhy do we findtoit watch
it entertaining entertaining
peopletodemean,
watch people demean,
bully, or
bully, or physically
physically attack
attack others? others?
Why Why is someone
is watching watching else’s
someone else’s
sexual sexualorexploits
exploits or narcissism
narcissism a widelyform
a widely accepted
ofaccepted form of entertainment?
entertainment?

Imaginefollowing
Imagine followingyouryourbest
bestfriend
friendaround
aroundaabar
barfrom
fromfirst
firstflirtation
flirtationwith
withaastranger
strangerall
allthe
theway
waytotoher
heractual
actual
bedroom,only
bedroom, onlytotohave
haveher
herdive
diveunder
underblankets
blanketsafter
afterkilling
killingthe
thelights.
lights.Sound
Soundcreepy?
creepy?Sounds
Soundslike
likemany
manyreality
reality
T.V. scenes. This kind of ‘peeping Tom’ behavior wouldn’t be tolerated in the real world, so why should ititbe
T.V. scenes. This kind of ‘peeping Tom’ behavior wouldn’t be tolerated in the real world, so why should be
toleratedon
tolerated onreality
realitytelevision?
television?

Perhapsthe
Perhaps themost
mostdisturbing
disturbingimpact
impactofofthese
theseshows
showsisisthe
thenotion
notionthat
thatanyone
anyonecancanand
andshould
shouldbecome
becomeaacelebrity
celebrity
forany
for anyreason.
reason.While
Whilewe wecan
canall
allagree
agreepeople
peopleshould
shouldbebeapplauded
applaudedforforworthy
worthyaccomplishments,
accomplishments,has hassociety’s
society’s
standardofofaaworthy
standard worthyaccomplishment
accomplishmentbeen beendumbed
dumbeddown?
down?Thanks
Thankstotoreality
realityT.V.
T.V.the
theanswer
answerisisaaresounding
resounding
‘yes!’Society’s
‘yes!’ Society’sobsession
obsessionwithwithfame
famehas
hasspiraled
spiraledout
outofofcontrol
controlthanks
thankstototoday’s
today’smedia
mediaoutlets.
outlets.There
Thereare
arepeople
people famous for literally just being rich alongside those garnering fame for injuring themselves.
famous for literally just being rich alongside those garnering fame for injuring themselves. Are these people Are these
people deserving
deserving of our collective
of our collective attentionattention and praise?
and praise?

Thereisisan
There anargument
argumentthat thatnot
notallallreality
realityshows
showsarearebad.
bad.Some
Someofofthetheprofession-based
profession-basedcompetition
competitionshows
showsactually
actually
focus focus
on real on real
skills andskills and acknowledge
acknowledge talent. However,
talent. However, even theseeven these
shows shows
rely rely onbehaviors
on extreme extreme behaviors to
to attain the
attain the
highest highest
level level of
of ratings. ratings.
Some might Some
also might also
say that say that
reality reality simply
television television simply
holds holds
a mirror upatomirror up to the
the viewer. The
viewer. The
problem withproblem with this
this argument argument
is that much of is what
that much
we seeofonwhat
T.V.weissee on T.V.
edited is edited
for time for time
or theme. or theme.
Reality stars are
Reality
often starsfor
filmed arehours
oftenatfilmed
a time,forbut
hours at a time,
we only but we
see about onlyansee
a half about
hour a half an hour of footage.
of footage.

InInaaworld
worldwhere
whereanyone andeveryone
anyoneand everyonecan
canfilm
filmthemselves
themselvesororbe befilmed
filmedfor
forthe
theworld
worldtotowatch,
watch,it’s
it’stime
timesociety
society
takesaastand
takes standon
onwhether
whetherorornot
notwewewant
wanttotowatch
watchit.it.Despite
Despitethe
thecatchy
catchyname,
name,reality
realitytelevision
televisionisisfar
farfrom
fromreal.
real.
You have to ask yourself, do these shows really sum up what I believe about my fellow
You have to ask yourself, do these shows really sum up what I believe about my fellow man or woman? man or woman?
Hopefully,the
Hopefully, thecollective
collectiveresponse
responseisisaaquick
quick‘no.’
‘no.’IfIfyou
youagree
agreewith
withthese
thesestatements,
statements,it’sit’stime
timetototake
takeaction.
action.IfIf
there is no one to watch this alternate reality television, it will eventually
there is no one to watch this alternate reality television, it will eventually die. die.