Reality TV... is it REAL?
Yesterday MBC ran the first episode of the Arabic version of the Biggest Loser. Although it's not the first reality TV show I’ve watched, it got me thinking; is reality TV real?
Many factors are considered when thinking of such an issue. The first big question: Would you behave the same way knowing that maybe millions of people are watching you? I would say definitely; NO! It's part of human nature that people act differently when knowing they are being watched. If you don't believe that, just remember your gestures when you are using the ATM and suddenly realize the fact that there is a camera looking straight at you.
Another factor, is after watching quite a number of these shows, I feel each show has some certain trends of behavior that are somehow enforced upon the participants, whether it is competitiveness, greed, meanness, supportiveness, kindness or a combination of these, or some other behavioral traits, and of course, this diminishes the reality these shows are supposed to have.
Yet, looking at the other half of the glass. Participants in Reality TV shows are put under different kinds of pressures. Generally pressure reveals some hidden aspects of a person's personality. Maybe this is one REAL thing about these shows.
What do you think? How do you see these shows and how REAL do you think they are? I find them to be far removed from reality.
Moving away from the evaluation of the reality of such shows; one might ask: Why Reality TV? Why the global desire for seeing real people in real life situations? Well, maybe after years and years, of watching people ACTING as the main form of TV entertainment, it seems to be the natural alternative to look for something REAL to watch on TV.
But with the "un-reality" of Reality TV shows, it ends up being the "phony" alternative of the "phony" reality! Well, of course unless there is going to be ‘The Truman Show’ kind of shows, which I think is impossible.... or is it?
Yesterday MBC ran the first episode of the Arabic version of the Biggest Loser. Although it's not the first reality TV show I’ve watched, it got me thinking; is reality TV real?
Many factors are considered when thinking of such an issue. The first big question: Would you behave the same way knowing that maybe millions of people are watching you? I would say definitely; NO! It's part of human nature that people act differently when knowing they are being watched. If you don't believe that, just remember your gestures when you are using the ATM and suddenly realize the fact that there is a camera looking straight at you.
Another factor, is after watching quite a number of these shows, I feel each show has some certain trends of behavior that are somehow enforced upon the participants, whether it is competitiveness, greed, meanness, supportiveness, kindness or a combination of these, or some other behavioral traits, and of course, this diminishes the reality these shows are supposed to have.
Yet, looking at the other half of the glass. Participants in Reality TV shows are put under different kinds of pressures. Generally pressure reveals some hidden aspects of a person's personality. Maybe this is one REAL thing about these shows.
What do you think? How do you see these shows and how REAL do you think they are? I find them to be far removed from reality.
Moving away from the evaluation of the reality of such shows; one might ask: Why Reality TV? Why the global desire for seeing real people in real life situations? Well, maybe after years and years, of watching people ACTING as the main form of TV entertainment, it seems to be the natural alternative to look for something REAL to watch on TV.
But with the "un-reality" of Reality TV shows, it ends up being the "phony" alternative of the "phony" reality! Well, of course unless there is going to be ‘The Truman Show’ kind of shows, which I think is impossible.... or is it?
posted by Abu Anan at 7:24 AM
2 Comments:
Yes very true. Such shows in my opinion are anything but real. They are very far from being real, I guess it's quite hard to be yourself under the camera...
I think such shows gained popularity because humans are very curious creatures, we just love to snoop on to other peoples' lives. It's weird, we all have in different quantities.
(Moi is usually forced to watch such shows. When bored).
I agree, we love to snoop on others. And THAT what makes a ridiculous show The Insider very popular.
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