Core Response #5

Reality TV really pisses me off. I will be honest.  I think it does for this country the same things that cheap, high fat and calorie, preservative-packed fast food does.  It makes "instant gratification" obtainable and eliminates the desire for individuals to "challenge" themselves in a way that is probably more time-consuming, less convenient, but ultimately more satisfying.  America "plays dumb" when they watch reality TV. Even the name is ironic.  My favorite part of Couldry's article was his illumination of the point that we believe that we are seeing "real life" when we watch shows like "The Hills," when in reality, everyone on that show is put, unnaturally, in front of a camera.  Watch people at a party take pictures of themselves.  Very rarely do those photographs capture the expressions and body language of the individuals 5 seconds before the photograph was taken.  Bring out a camera and you see people put their arms around each other, smile big, make a pouty face, or do another one of the "stock" camera poses seen on Facebook. 

I feel conflicted about my anger toward reality TV, though.  There is something "elitist" in condemning it and who am I to say that anyone else's entertainment is less than valid?  I suppose I passionately believe that entertainment, at its best, can inspire thought, emotion, and growth.  When well done, it can challenge us as well as allow us to unwind after a long week.  It can cause us to look at the world from a perspective different than our own or make us laugh and cry.  Reality TV (at least the shows I've seen) are mindless, crass, forgettable.