Is Reality TV Good or Bad for Us?

It was in 1992 when MTV launched the reality show, The Real World. The reality show features a group of strangers who are put together in one place with cameras monitoring their every move. This is the show that parents love to hate because of bad and obnoxious behaviors shown regularly. While the show at first didn’t attract as much fanfare as most reality shows today, it did become a hit and spawned the numerous shows that dominate MTV’s airwaves today like The Hills, and such. It was and still such a hit that it is still airing until today with the latest edition named The Real World: Las Vegas.

Are Reality Shows Bad for Us?

In the MTV reality show The Hills, which features the lives of very wealthy teens in southern California, it is normal for friends to backstab and betray each other. For this, experts and parents alike are afraid that the mostly teenage girls and boys who are avid fans of this show may actually absorb the personalities of those characters and develop bad societal behaviors. Experts call this syndrome the “Mean Girl Syndrome” and say that this is bad for society.

Bad behavior is also prevalent in shows such Big Brother, where sexually charged scenes are often shown. There are numerous instances, especially in European versions of this show, some contestants were actually shown having sex on the set. Furthermore, in Britain, more number of people have voiced or called in their opinions in one Big Brother season than those who’ve voted for the Labour Party (the ruling national party at that time) at the 2005 elections.

Another show wherein lies, deceit and other bad behaviors are prominently and sometimes encouraged is the hit reality show Survivor. In it, participants actually trick each other in order to win the ultimate prize of a million dollars. Experts agree that this may transmit a bad message to young viewers of the show.

Are Reality Shows Good for Us?

An organization of concerned parents and experts has actually listed shows which are deemed “good” reality shows. These shows include The Amazing Race, Dancing with the Stars, and quiz shows such as “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?” This organization contends that not only are these shows entertaining but we can also gain knowledge from them and encourage us to explore the world, like The Amazing Race.

In reality, some social experts have argued that kids nowadays are actually more discerning in watching reality shows than what their parents give them credit for. I can actually attest to this fact as I’ve heard 14 to 15-year old kids criticizing a female character from The Hills for flirting with her friend’s boyfriend, etc.

Furthermore, a writer working for TIME actually declared that reality shows were the best thing to happen in television. That writer said that TV once again became relevant because of these shows. Some also contend that good or bad reality shows capture the essence of humanity in a way that scripted dramas and sitcoms can’t and refuse to.

So Are They Good or Bad?

The conclusion is: we may never know. Actually, it is only up to us if we let these reality shows influence our lives.