How does reality TV actually impact society? If anything, the genre is often a mixed bag. Viewers never truly know whether they're going to get good drama or waste their weekend on a couple of episodes and get nothing.
From the worst television outbursts to the most meme-worthy moments in the history of reality TV, here's how the genre affects our society as a whole.
How Does Reality TV Impact Our Society? Does the Good Outweigh the Bad?
Even though Reality TV has the term 'real' in it, they don't often hold the truth, especially when the majority of the shows are more often than not marketed as 'unscripted' only to be exposed that their endings and stories had been scripted behind the scenes.
Scripted or not, Reality TV poses what viewers usually find entertaining about the media: drama and tension among cast members.
Through conflict, there's a story. However, constant conflict begs the question of why retaliating physically and verbally is the only answer in their scenario.
While this may impose that particular studios are choosing to pit women against women or people against their own in general to hike up views, it could also serve a purpose.
In this case, it's to allow viewers the autonomy of making the moral conclusion themselves: did the characters do the right thing, or were the viewers 'bamboozled' for not picking sides?
Reality TV is considered raw, hence the title 'The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly', where viewers can cast their own judgment without consequence while impairing the viewers' perception of reality.
According to Linzi Gibson, an associate professor of psychology and cognitive neuroscience specialist, reality shows have two sides "It can harm our self-esteem" when the average viewer compares themselves to flawless on-screen personas, but it can also "boost our confidence" when TV proves everyone struggles with their own life problems.
Similar to how True Crime rose to its current fame, Reality TV depends on the reception of the masses, which means...
No Matter How Un/Scripted They May Be, Take Reality TV For What It Is: Entertainment at its Finest
Taking Reality TV at its rawest form may be the best decision any viewer should settle for before they begin their binge-watching.
As entertaining as the 'unscripted' elements are, taking these shows as a form of yet another scripted television somewhat softens the blow that these people and their situations are not as bad as they looked on TV.
It softens the impact in the sense that the audience should be reminded that their experimental forms of entertainment are simply amusing and compelling on TV but do not always reflect their reality.
Do you think reality TV does more harm than good or vice versa? Let us know in the comments below!
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