Reality T.V.

---

I have never seen an episode of "Survivor". I'll bet you thought people like me didn't exist, huh? But no, it's true, give me a Bible and I'll swear on it. I never watched "Survivor". I never sat through an entire episode of "Temptation Island". I do admit, I did stomach a little of "The Mole", but only the first episode. After that I was completely turned off. And as for "Boot Camp"? I've seen bits and pieces, never a whole show.

See, the whole idea of Reality T.V. makes me sick. A group of people, psychologically put together so as to cause beaucoup fights and quarrels and sexual encounters, who let their lives play out on national television as they scheme against one another and attempt to trick everyone else out of money/fame/airplay/whatever...Sickening. I got this out of my system in middle school with "The Real World" and "Road Rules".

My take on Reality T.V. is this... they're just another substitute for us going out and living our own lives. It's a way for television moguls to make tons of money without having to split their profits among script writers, supervisors, acting coaches, stage directors, or even actors. If these people don't make it, they don't get the million dollars. It's all over. So they're raking in the dough thanks to other people's greed and making money off of other people's misfortune. Why am I suprised?

So why do we watch? Why can't we turn them off? Because we are a voyeristic society. Come on, you can't tell me that if you see someone walking around in their apartment naked with all the lights on and the windows open you're not gonna look. Can you honestly say that you'd walk quickly away, or would you do like most people and gawk, laughing? I'll bet my money on the latter, and I'm sure you'd go home and call your buddy and say "Hey man! Guess what? I just saw the hottest chick walking around buck naked in her aparment over here! Yeah, get your ass here now! You don't wanna miss this!"

We love watching other people live their lives. And to be handed this chance on a silver platter, with much hype and anticipation, is like a dream come true. We watch the contestants fight and fuss and conspire and pretty much act like evil savages and we say, "See, I'm not such a crazy, screwed up person after all. At least I'm not trying to knock Colleen out of the running, she seems like such a sweet girl!" But we know damn well that if we were up there we'd be just as conniving too. Of course, that doesn't matter. Cause we watch these shows and they let us convice ourselves that we'd never be as heartless as these people. No, we're better than that.

These shows are cheapening our experiences as human beings. They keep us inside on a Wednesday night, watching people run around and piss one another off while wearing very little clothing and hopefully having some kind of affair somewhere tossed in to make it "interesting". However, as our collective attention spans start to get antsy with the current shows, the TV execs are no doubt planning up Reality T.V. that crosses accepted boundaries more and more. Once they get past throwing people on a desert island, seperating couples and putting each one in a "lions den" of people who can only be described as prostitutes (paid to tempt for money... close enough for me), and pushing people to their limits physically and emotionally, what's next? I shudder to think what they'll top this with.

But I guarentee you, we'll be watching.

At least, that's how I see it.

~*Feisty Charli*~

April 20, 2001