Tracey Alley's Blog - Posts Tagged "learning"
Reality TV? Not So Much
If you have cable TV then you cannot help but be aware of the huge number of reality TV shows currently available. These programs range from the sublime to the ridiculous and it seems there are more being made every day.
Personally I love documentaries - always have. My top favourite topics are historical, true crime and wildlife programs. I've probably learned as much from watching these kind of documentaries as I did during my University studies.
But documentaries are not the limit of what cable TV has to offer. Nowadays we have everything from Swamp People, to Deadliest Catch, to Dog: The Bounty Hunter to Pawn Stars etc etc - the list seemingly goes on forever.
The big question though is just how real are these reality programs? The answer to that, all too frequently, is becoming not real at all. It can be difficult to spot a genuine reality program from a staged 'reality' show. Of course that then begs the question - does it really matter?
Well, that's a very tricky question to answer. To some people these fake reality shows come as a virtual slap in the face, an insult to the viewing public's intelligence. To others it probably doesn't matter as long as it's entertaining.
In my household we have two camps regarding reality TV. My husband always gets annoyed if he thinks a reality show is staged. To him it's an insult and basically dishonest. I, on the other hand, don't care quite so much. If the show is interesting I'll watch it - even if I know it's fake.
In one area though I have to totally agree with my husband - by passing these shows off as real the producers are, in a way, treating the audience like fools. And let's be honest - nobody likes to be treated like a fool.
Does that mean I'll stop watching fake 'reality' TV? Probably not and interestingly enough - it doesn't stop my husband from watching them either. All it has really done [at least in our home] is ensure that I get a running commentary while watching one of these fake shows about how staged it is from Robbie.
I guess my question is what is it about reality TV [real or otherwise] that the public at large is so interested in? I know I've certainly never considered myself to be a voyeur but when I'm watching reality TV that's exactly what I'm doing. In many ways it's no different to peeking through someone's window.
At any rate I'll continue to watch and continue to wonder why I find these shows so fascinating. I know that in time this fad, like all others before it, will fade and something else will take its' place. Between now and then however, I'll try to remember my Mother's advice - believe about half of what you see, a quarter of what you read and virtually nothing you are told.
It might be a little cynical but it has the advantage of encouraging me to investigate these topics and hopefully increase my overall understanding about the world.
Cheers,
Trace
Personally I love documentaries - always have. My top favourite topics are historical, true crime and wildlife programs. I've probably learned as much from watching these kind of documentaries as I did during my University studies.
But documentaries are not the limit of what cable TV has to offer. Nowadays we have everything from Swamp People, to Deadliest Catch, to Dog: The Bounty Hunter to Pawn Stars etc etc - the list seemingly goes on forever.
The big question though is just how real are these reality programs? The answer to that, all too frequently, is becoming not real at all. It can be difficult to spot a genuine reality program from a staged 'reality' show. Of course that then begs the question - does it really matter?
Well, that's a very tricky question to answer. To some people these fake reality shows come as a virtual slap in the face, an insult to the viewing public's intelligence. To others it probably doesn't matter as long as it's entertaining.
In my household we have two camps regarding reality TV. My husband always gets annoyed if he thinks a reality show is staged. To him it's an insult and basically dishonest. I, on the other hand, don't care quite so much. If the show is interesting I'll watch it - even if I know it's fake.
In one area though I have to totally agree with my husband - by passing these shows off as real the producers are, in a way, treating the audience like fools. And let's be honest - nobody likes to be treated like a fool.
Does that mean I'll stop watching fake 'reality' TV? Probably not and interestingly enough - it doesn't stop my husband from watching them either. All it has really done [at least in our home] is ensure that I get a running commentary while watching one of these fake shows about how staged it is from Robbie.
I guess my question is what is it about reality TV [real or otherwise] that the public at large is so interested in? I know I've certainly never considered myself to be a voyeur but when I'm watching reality TV that's exactly what I'm doing. In many ways it's no different to peeking through someone's window.
At any rate I'll continue to watch and continue to wonder why I find these shows so fascinating. I know that in time this fad, like all others before it, will fade and something else will take its' place. Between now and then however, I'll try to remember my Mother's advice - believe about half of what you see, a quarter of what you read and virtually nothing you are told.
It might be a little cynical but it has the advantage of encouraging me to investigate these topics and hopefully increase my overall understanding about the world.
Cheers,
Trace
