Reality TV = Junk

           I am guilty of watching reality shows but that’s not to say I keep up with one in particular. I rarely turn my television on to even watch the news because I find that I’m just way too busy. I think I watch about 30 - 45 minutes of TV a day and sometimes not even that in the day. It’s hard to avoid watching a reality show when you turn on the TV since there are so many of them now, they are on a lot of channels, we can access them online, through our phones and iPads. In the past I really only remember them being broadcasted on certain channels like MTV or VH1 but now I even see them on the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. The reality shows on those channels are the only ones that ever catch my attention. I’m not into the drama filled shows at all. I’m more into the ones that will state facts and are somewhat educational.

            I really dislike the drama filled reality shows like 16 and Pregnant, The real world, any dating show, any show that involves competing, and the Jersey Shore, etc. I find it very disturbing when I turn on the news and they broadcast things about celebrities or reality stars. For that reason sometimes I don’t even want to watch the news. I feel like those shows could not be more pointless. In my opinion they give us false hope at times and lead us to believe certain things are acceptable in society just because a reality TV star is doing it. The only thing I think they are good for is to show us how disgusting, provocative and foolish some people are. I know that the shows I do watch can contain the drama as well but on the other hand they can be educational at times. For example the cast of American Pickers on the History Channel will give us the facts and history on any item they choose to purchase.

            I think overall society would benefit greatly if we had less of these shows because they make us fall out of actual reality. I do know some people that can’t get enough of these shows and when I ask why they watch the junk, they simply say “because it’s funny to see people look dumb on TV.” I guess it is all for the entertainment but every time we tune in we contribute to the reality stars paycheck which I think states we support their actions. The more time we spend watching them the less time we spend studying, reading, watching the news, taking up hobbies, or doing outdoor activities. I don’t have children but when and if I do have some I would pressure them not to rot their minds with senseless reality shows. I would encourage them to do some of the things I mentioned above. As for me, I feel I don’t overdo it when it comes to watching reality shows and that’s one thing I don’t plan to change.