Reality Shows, Is It Really Reality?

Pocs

Pocs

Legacy Member
With the explosion of reality shows being brought into our homes, it's hard not to get caught up in the "realisim" of them all. I am of course not talking about the competition type reality shows such as Survivor, Amazing Race, Undercover Boss or any of the talent shows that are popping up on what seems like a nightly basis. It is the Real Housewives of..well anywhere nowadays,the 19 Kids and Counting, the Sister Wives, the Pawn Stars and the Cake Boss type shows that cause me to raise a eyebrow. Do they really pose a glimpse into the reality of what many of us consider "Real" life. Although maybe entertaining and perhaps addictive, the people on these shows are in fact NOT the normal intreputation of today's lifestyle, unlimited bank accounts and wanting for nothing.

Most of us live pay check to pay check, clip coupons to save a buck or two and are 2 paychecks away from losing our homes. We don't have the luxury of deciding wether to drive ourselves or to be chauffeured to the amuse bouche/ wine tasting or the shoe party across town. Our version of that consists of our weekly trip to the local market in our mini van or 4 door sedan, with maybe a sample of the new Pringles flavor and a small taste of the latest flavored tea. Of course served in the finest paper and plasticware available, instead of the finest bone china. If you have watched these shows, some of them start off by being, well kind of like the rest of us, but by season 3, they are building new homes, stalked by the paparazzi and starting a business of their own. So what starts off like something we can relate too, quickly changes into something we dreamed to be. Sure some of them are filmed in their place of business, a booming business that is, with difficult decisions of what to order for lunch or what new Rolex watch to buy their wife and again, not the real world, as most of us know. Not all, but many of the people who let the camera into their lives are already wealthy, own 45,000 square foot homes, drive a different car every week and spend more money on their hair accessaries than we make in a week.

I'm not faulting them or belittling them in anyway. I'm sure they have worked hard for all they have or maybe extremely lucky and born wealthy. My problem lies with the tag "Reality Show". In my opinion shouldn't a reality show, be based on how the majority or the way an average person of the public live, work and play, and not a small elite group of people who in fact have already "moved on up". Sure we watch them, it gives us a peak into a lifestyle we can only imagine. Entertaining, yes, at times its full of shopping, vacationing and socializing mishaps.

Where are the, getting to the check out and not having enough cash for your purchase or having to let the electric bill go in order to buy new tires for the car. Where are the Real realities of today? It's the Reality show title that seems to be misleading and can catch our eye, draw us in and let us see a side of life that isn't real, for real people that is. Shouldn't they be referred to as "Not Your Typical Reality Shows".
 
I have a real problem with reality shows, because the simple fact of a camera being there and recording the family's daily life means that what the viewers are seeing is not reality. It's a version of reality that is deemed suitable for broadcasting - in other words, it's a censored or sanitised reality.

While it may be entertaining in it's own way, it's not reality as we understand the concept. And even if the cameras did record the real life of the family, warts and all, editing would distort the reality even further before the film made it to the screen.
 
I agree with Sandra.

I put a lot of emphasis on that last line especially. Editing and condensing everything into a tiny time slot greatly skews the reality. They tend to pull things out of context for shock value, too, which makes it even less like reality.
 
It's a heavy skewing of the word "reality" but I seriously doubt anyone has ever taken it seriously as reality based television.

It's more a social spectators television. Rather than watch fictional characters, we get to see real people.
 
Garbage like the Kardashians or Real Housewives stuff - not real at all. But I do enjoy some of the cooking competition shows and I don't see any reason for those to be faked. I'm pretty hooked on Masterchef right now.
 
Reality shows have to be edited and engaging enough for people to watch. If we actually had to watch all the monotonous details we wouldn't be very entertained. Therefore, often they have to dramatize and contrive certain situations to make it interesting. So it isn't genuine reality. However, the people put in the situations are real. Even though you can quite label it reality, I still enjoy a lot of these types of shows.
 
Sandra Piddock said:
I have a real problem with reality shows, because the simple fact of a camera being there and recording the family's daily life means that what the viewers are seeing is not reality. It's a version of reality that is deemed suitable for broadcasting - in other words, it's a censored or sanitised reality.

While it may be entertaining in it's own way, it's not reality as we understand the concept. And even if the cameras did record the real life of the family, warts and all, editing would distort the reality even further before the film made it to the screen.
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Agreed! They're editted, geared for drama and not that realistic. If that *were* the reality, I still wouldn't be interested in watching it. Just not my kind of 'entertainment".
 
Not to mention the fact that everyone involved is constantly aware of the fact that they are going to be on TV, and I find it hard to believe that this wouldn't make them behave in ways that are particularly geared towards making their life more of a spectacle.
 
There is a certain sense of reality in all of the shows, but it only the "reality" of the situation that is being filmed. For example, if somebody is being filmed in their own home, then there is no way that they're going to behave in the same way that they would have done if the cameras aren't there. So what you're seeing is the reality of them being filmed, and as long as you understand that then this should help.

I actually love watching "Reality TV" from a psychological point of view, as I like to see how certain types of people will react in the various situations that they're placed in during the course of day to day life. I prefer the shows where people aren't always aware that they're being filmed, as you will get a much more natural reaction, but I certainly do think that these types of things are real to some extent.
 
Hm, yeah I guess that's true. But I also think that unless we are dealing with seasoned performers, the very event of being on television is likely to be quite monumental in the lives of ordinary people, and quite likely to change them... I really feel that, given these circumstances, one would constantly feel the pressure to represent oneself to the audience, as opposed to react in the manner that comes most natural to them in relation to the situation that they are in.

I would liken it to what people become when they are giving formal presentations (except in the rare case where people literally manage to do this just as they are). Sure, in some sense, the persona that they adopt while doing this is 'real' and 'deliberate', but I don't to what extent you can make inferences about the nature of this person or about everyday psychology based on this persona.
 
I don't really believe that reality shows are all real. I think they are half reality, and half scripted. If those shows are real, they are going to be boring as hell. They need to come up with some issues within the characters so the viewers would be interested, and entertained.
 
Definitely not, reality show is still scripted. I know some people who work in the tv shows that is why I am aware what's happening there. So before the show, they inform first the interviewee what he/she shouldn't say when the show starts, so before the before the show, he/she already know the questions. The only show that is real is documentaries where they really show reality of life.
 
No, they really are not reality. I guess some of the behavior is maybe natural, but the most parts are just for the cameras. It's just a drama show for people to watch. I don't like that kind of shows, but I know there's nothing good about them.

If that would really be our reality, not just for the show, we would be crazy very soon.
 
The goal of reality shows is not to depict reality, but to glue us to our televisions —as through that rack in millions in Ad revenue.

You wonder how it is that they can't just be real with what they depict, as it might still get us glued to our TVs; but the truth is: reality is not that pleasant. Even if it is, it is not pleasant enough to glue you to your TV.

We live in reality everyday, but we live for fantasies. Fantacy about living happily ever after, with a castle of our own, and a wife/husband who is the envy of other. And these realities shows tap in to these fantasies, into the deep longings in the heart of the average person, and clear picture of what they want life to be; and that is captivating
 
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