Overall Analysis of Reality TV
It is clear that our beliefs and interests have formed a love for Reality TV today, but who knew it would or could ever become this popular. There are a few theories that may help to explain just that.
First, I believe without someone’s innovative nature, we would have never experienced reality TV at all. Some feel that “Real World”, an MTV sensation which started back in 1992 was the first reality TV show and few would disagree that it was the first to become popular but Reality TV actually goes back as far as 1973, when PBS aired “An American Family”. Regardless of who was the first, it is clear without these innovators who went outside of the norm to create and expose us to this now phenomenon; we may have never learned to love this current sensation at all. Interestingly enough, this proves that without innovation, new popular cultures that form new “norms” would never exist at all.
Secondly, I believe that exposure plays a key role in the popularity of Reality TV as well as other forms of popular culture. If your family watches TV, then you may become more likely to also watch, thereby increasing your exposure to Reality TV and the possibility that you would be a fan too. Those that do not watch television would have no exposure to it and therefore would not watch it, and in some cases may not even be aware of the shows or the stars at all.
I also find it appealing that popularity seems relative to emotion over quality. Reality shows are not filled with quality acting, and they have no real comedic value or well thought out story lines. Everyone knows this, but what then is the appeal? We must have some form of an emotional connection to the people in them or possibly in the lives or lifestyles we watch week after week. Perhaps we can relate to the personal emotions and experiences of the people in them, or maybe we just love to love, or even love to hate them and we want to be there with them to share in the joy, laughter or maybe even the tears or sorrows. It is after all true that misery loves company. I had never even considered why I might enjoy the shows until now; I only watched them because I wanted to. But looking at it more closely, I have to admit that there are some guilty pleasures there that I am none too proud of. For example, I do enjoy watching the lifestyles of the rich and not so famous. I think it is the fact that they don’t focus so much on the household chores and mundane things in life that I enjoy and the trips, oh how I love the trips. I long to go at a whim and fly and sail away to some warm tropical island every few months or so. And I find that even though they have some of the things I wish I had, I still can feel good to know that I have fantastic friends, way better than the ones that they seem to have, and I can be satisfied and proud of that. Friends are priceless, and good ones can’t be bought and I have great ones. When I think of this, I feel kind of bad for these Reality TV stars.
I guess in the end, the purpose of entertainment is to bring about emotion, and Reality TV does that, whether you like it or not. As long as we keep our head about it, we will be alright and enjoying a little Reality TV is okay, allot of other people enjoy it just like I do. I have come out of the closet and embraced the fact that one of my real popular culture enjoyments is Reality TV. It just plain rocks, and I like it allot, along with a while lot of other people and there’s nothing wrong with that.
