Reality TV: Just Entertainment or is it Causing People to Pursue Conflicts in Their Lives?
What began as a new form of entertainment with The Real World in the 1990s, has progressed to become reality TV, a questionable influence to millions throughout the country. The specific sub-genre of documentary-style reality television, such as Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant, follows the lives of either regular people or celebrities, showing their everyday activities. These shows contain a lot of drama and altercations, something we as humans have developed a guilty pleasure for watching. People will even begin encouraging these actions as they occur on television. With millions of viewers for each episode on television, one has to wonder what sort …show more content…
Watching fights break out among those on television has caused us to become adapted to this drama, and begin looking for it on a day to day basis. Many will agree that they do not like to be involved in such spectacles, however, that does not mean we do not get some entertainment from watching someone else going through it. For example, think back to a time you were with a few other friends who have gotten into an argument, and how you reacted. Some may say they attempted to settle the argument, and many would. However, there are also a good amount of people who will say they have hesitated before doing so. Though it happens unintentionally, there are a fair amount of people that would admit to waiting a few minutes before stopping the argument, and this could be because we receive a type of enjoyment out of watching someone argue, as long as it is not harming anyone. This also applies to when we hear strangers argue in a public place. If anyone has ever been around a couple who is arguing, they will notice that a large amount of people will turn their attention to the couple and possibly strain to try and hear what the dispute is about. For those of us that have made a habit of viewing these documentary reality shows, we have slowly …show more content…
The specific style of documentary reality TV has been around for less than 30 years, so this could not be the reason that humans seek conflict, as they have been doing so for far longer than that. It is a common belief that the craving for this exhilaration is hardwired into not all, but many people’s brains. It allows those who are not at as high of a level of arousal as others to feel a sense of living and satisfaction. People also tend to crave this excitement because it is something new and different from their typical daily activities. There are many who would much rather go to an amusement park than stay at home lounging around. However, for those times that it is not possible to participate in that level of excitement, people will seek out conflict to satisfy that need instead. Therefore, reality television does not play a role in people seeking conflict, but instead, its purpose is to satisfy the viewer’s demands for drama and
What began as a new form of entertainment with The Real World in the 1990s, has progressed to become reality TV, a questionable influence to millions throughout the country. The specific sub-genre of documentary-style reality television, such as Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant, follows the lives of either regular people or celebrities, showing their everyday activities. These shows contain a lot of drama and altercations, something we as humans have developed a guilty pleasure for watching. People will even begin encouraging these actions as they occur on television. With millions of viewers for each episode on television, one has to wonder what sort …show more content…
Watching fights break out among those on television has caused us to become adapted to this drama, and begin looking for it on a day to day basis. Many will agree that they do not like to be involved in such spectacles, however, that does not mean we do not get some entertainment from watching someone else going through it. For example, think back to a time you were with a few other friends who have gotten into an argument, and how you reacted. Some may say they attempted to settle the argument, and many would. However, there are also a good amount of people who will say they have hesitated before doing so. Though it happens unintentionally, there are a fair amount of people that would admit to waiting a few minutes before stopping the argument, and this could be because we receive a type of enjoyment out of watching someone argue, as long as it is not harming anyone. This also applies to when we hear strangers argue in a public place. If anyone has ever been around a couple who is arguing, they will notice that a large amount of people will turn their attention to the couple and possibly strain to try and hear what the dispute is about. For those of us that have made a habit of viewing these documentary reality shows, we have slowly …show more content…
The specific style of documentary reality TV has been around for less than 30 years, so this could not be the reason that humans seek conflict, as they have been doing so for far longer than that. It is a common belief that the craving for this exhilaration is hardwired into not all, but many people’s brains. It allows those who are not at as high of a level of arousal as others to feel a sense of living and satisfaction. People also tend to crave this excitement because it is something new and different from their typical daily activities. There are many who would much rather go to an amusement park than stay at home lounging around. However, for those times that it is not possible to participate in that level of excitement, people will seek out conflict to satisfy that need instead. Therefore, reality television does not play a role in people seeking conflict, but instead, its purpose is to satisfy the viewer’s demands for drama and