Don’t Switch the Channel

Fed up and bored during the summer break, I decided I would escape the world by watching, horror, reality television. A few weeks passed and I began, to my astonishment, to become engrossed by the entertainment values of these series.

My new obsession came to a head when one evening my parents invited our neighbors over for dinner. Things became problematic when, I realized it was eight o’clock and the show that I had been following for the past three weeks was about to be aired. The neighbors were shocked by my intention to watch such a show. “Utter filth” they muttered to each other and my parents agreed. It seems as though everyone is against viewing these shows. I began to question, why if everyone hates them then do they rate so well? Are they the guilty pleasure of the young or perhaps something else?

One afternoon, a boy was being harassed by a group of students as a geek with four-eyes. I was reminded of a situation that took place on the show Beauty and the Geek, prompting me to help the boy out. The show had taught me to accept people from different social groups. That day, after school, I became friends with that boy and we have been inseparable ever since.

People are too narrow minded to experience reality television. They are frightened by it and what it portrays, humans in the raw naked and foolish, hardly the raging intellect we wish to see ourselves as. They believe these programs promote pure negativity and nothing positive can flourish from the reality goldfish bowl. In fact this is quite the contrary.

Many educational learning experiences are exhibited by Reality Television. Yes, not only do they provide hours of entertainment but they investigate many positive life issues which may be learnt and used in real-life situations.

Appropriate social responses can be learnt from the viewing of reality television, which is effectively shown in the television program Beauty and the Geek.

Advertised as “The Ultimate Social Experiment” it is just that. The show’s plot includes eight “beauties” and eight “geeks” all of whom have relied on certain traits to make them successful in life. The “beauties” have largely relied on their looks and as a result they are socially aware. The “geeks” on the other hand have relied on their intellect and as a result are socially unskilled. The competition pairs each “beauty” up with a “geek” to win $250,000 by completing challenges as a pair. Each episode farewells the couple from the show who have learnt the least about each other.

Interestingly, by the end of the series, the contestants revealed that they had learnt significantly from interacting with individuals from another social group and the positive lessons about the character of people from that group. The competition opened their eyes to the positive things about themselves and their own personality. As a viewer, we learn something about human nature in general.

The show exhibits many educational messages to its audience. The main message is to accept and mingle with people from other social groups. It demonstrates that both sides can learn from the experience, both about themselves and others. All suggesting that Reality television can be a learning experience.

Reality shows reflect the values our culture have. These shows, such as Extreme Makeover and Brat Camp demonstrate our growing concerns towards health and wellbeing issues.

In Extreme Makeover, ordinary people volunteer for an “extreme makeover”, including the use of plastic surgery, exercise regimes, hairdressing and wardrobing to transform the individual both inside and out. As a result of their new-look, the contestants gain a new lease of life as they develop more confidence.

The show demonstrates to the viewers how the implementation of exercise regimes and healthy eating are integral to any healthy lifestyle. It stresses the need to change lifestyle and attitude in order to achieve a healthy life and wellbeing. It also shows the positive and negative effects of surgery and how it can transform an individual’s confidence and their approach in life.

Similarly, in the show Brat Camp, many health and well-being concerns are addressed. The show involves a group of troubled teenagers from the United Kingdom who are sent to a wilderness camp in the United States to straighten out their lives. In the show, Dr. Dan transforms the unruly teenagers by making them ask for permission to do everything – even going to the toilet; this teaches them respect of others and forces them to think about what they are doing. Dr. Dan focuses on taking away their individuality by replacing their civvies for uniforms as well as removing their piercings. He claims that the items influenced their past behaviors.

These angst ridden children are then set challenges, such as, long hikes and starting fires with sticks and string. The hike allows them to reflect on their past, while the fire starting exercise teaches them the value of perseverance. The exercises are symbolic of having achieved something without their parent’s help and the start of a new life. The show transforms their lives and gives them hope. Interestingly, their attitudes to rules changes, with some even joining a highly regulated police force and army after the program.

The show exhibits many positive educational opportunities for its audience. The shows main message is to parents who need to set boundaries/rules and establish clear expectations for their spoilt children. The show points out the importance of teaching tchildren the difference between right and wrong and the need to listen to and encourage their children to be responsible. While we may not like to see ourselves in these people, they reflect our society and offer solutions which may be beneficial.

People don’t think much about what they watch and are often happy to be spoon fed someone else’s “reality” to make them feel better about themselves. The world that we live in is not a beautiful place, it is full of emptiness and despair. All too often we look to avoid and belittle reality television so that we don’t have to be self-aware and accountable for our own thoughts and actions. Reality television provides a unique opportunity to watch an element of society struggle with its hidden demons. As much as we wish to believe ourselves as better than them they expose our faults. From these we learn strategies in how to tackle these issues. It is desirable for individuals to take advantage of reality television and accept that they provide answers to issues in life and often present a model for future reference.