Many people view reality television as a “guilty pleasure,” but I see it as a way to gain important insights into human behavior, learn social skills without first hand experience and view ethical dilemmas in a unique way. Allow me to be the devil’s advocate to all those who think watching reality TV is a waste of time.
As a communications major, I find watching human behavior very interesting. Watching reality TV through a lens of analyzing human behavior can be very beneficial for learning about how and why people work the way they do, in my opinion.
For example, if I watch a show that is meant to connect people romantically such as “Love Is Blind,” I can see how it is an experiment in a way. They are testing a theory on whether or not love truly is blind or if looks really matter. I watch how humans yearn for connection so badly they are willing to meet a person for the first time face to face when they are getting engaged to be married.
In other reality TV shows that are fighting for a prize, like in “Survivor,” you see people push their physical and emotional limits for something like a cash prize. People deceive one another, starve and test intellectual skills through challenges all in the hopes of being the last one standing. Reality TV is such a spectrum when it comes to how human behavior plays into an end goal and it is very interesting to watch, and should not be written off as strictly trashy. These shows capture the extreme and raw emotion of humans in a way no other show can.
When watching, you are also able to get a view into how society is so versatile in personality, values, morals and intelligence. While watching, I pay attention to how people are able to use their own personal skills beyond just the skills that we as a society view as important in being a well-rounded human being.
Human beings are very good at adapting to their surroundings, but each individual does so in different ways. While one may use their beauty, another will use their intelligence, and I think that is a very interesting fact about the way our society functions beyond just the show.
I have found that I can implement the strategies these contestants on reality TV use in my own life. I watch what works for others in getting to whatever goal the show has set up and try and see where I can use those same skills in reaching my own personal goals. By watching others use the skills they are best at, I am able to learn simply by watching.
Others may argue that reality TV is trashy since people are often portrayed as shallow, dramatic or unintelligent. I argue that those people are still a part of our society and they are not alone in their traits. It takes true maturity in a person to accept that others are different from you and that does not give you the right to judge them based on how they act on a TV show.
Some may even say game-based reality shows are unethical. I’d argue that testing the limits of human nature creates an amazing passion in us that is so unique to humans. We are able to test our own strengths and weaknesses and be rewarded for it in the end, and that is truly inspiring.
There are very few outlets in learning social skills that aren’t first hand experience, and I have found reality TV to be one of those outlets. There are many things to learn from these shows, but at the end of the day it is for pure entertainment and fun to watch real emotions play out on the screen.
Sophia MacKinnon can be reached at [email protected].
