Let’s think about the concept of people being used as lab rats. Consider that we, the viewers of such shows, would then be considered the impartial observer- via remote viewing, the TV. What sort of experiments are we as a society performing? Are we experimenting with how well humanity can survive should there be no more technology? Are we relearning to live like the hunter/gathering generations of the past? One of the reasons viewers like these survival shows is to witness the fall of one person or another due to their ignorance of simple survival methods. Our ever-observant society watches with sadistic glee when someone freezes slowly because they cannot make fire from sticks. Would any of us fare any better if put into that situation? Most of these so-called reality shows have back up plans for safety, medical emergencies, or if a player decides to opt out of the fun. In reality, there is no back up plan, and no easy way out of life’s hardships.
What sort of message are these shows sending children who watch them? Do they believe if you are lost in a jungle that a ‘host’ will arrive and tell you what you are doing is the wrong thing? Will they wait for someone to let them know that they can now receive medical attention for their injury?
Like many things in life, you can prepare for some of these eventualities with things like medical insurance, life coaches and group projects. But there is never an easy way out of difficult situations. You cannot simply walk away from life and go back to a better reality.
Within these reality shows you see people put in specific situations and then asked to deal with them in the best way they know how. Usually these participants are working toward a final goal- in most instances it is a financial pay off of an exorbitant amount of money. This payoff in itself alters the reality of the game. Players might act or behave in a different way than they would normally in order to achieve the final goal of financial success. Lies and manipulation are common amongst these reality TV participants. Young or inexperienced viewers might perceive these dishonest reactions as being normal- and then base their own actions accordingly.
Parents often lecture that children learn by mimicking others. Why wouldn’t children learn to be dishonest after watching a plethora of these reality TV shows? Statistics show that American children watch an average of more than 24 hours of TV each week(1). What are the odds of them never watching a reality TV show? How many children watch these shows right next to their parents, learning about life from reality TV, rather than living it?
Reality TV observers need to put their scientific microscope into better focus. They need to focus on what drives society to find entertainment from these shows, rather than on the false reality that is presented through them.
(1) <http://articles.latimes.com/2009/oct/27/entertainment/et-kids-tv27>, Average Time Kids Watch TV | Kids watch more than a day fo TV each week – Los Angeles Times, Accessed 03/19/2012, published 10/27/2009.
