reality tv does more harm than good essay

Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not

By judy berman.

“I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to win.” So goes the ultimate reality TV cliché , one popularized by the first season of Survivor , which got broadcast audiences hooked on competitions between telegenic “real people” cashing in the 15 minutes of fame that are the birthright of all Americans. Two decades later, the declaration has proven true of the genre itself. Reality series aren’t exactly well respected; critics, social scientists, and even fans never stop unearthing revelations about their crass manipulations and toxic tropes . Yet despite all the antipathy directed at these programs, they’ve conquered the culture and claimed their prize: our attention.

Reality TV has radically altered the landscapes of celebrity, politics, and power. It has made many people extremely rich; Kim Kardashian has a net worth of $1.8 billion . Reality stars have penetrated every corner of the entertainment industry, from Harry Styles , Kelly Clarkson , and Cardi B on the pop charts (appearing on The X Factor , American Idol , and Love & Hip Hop: New York , respectively) to Jennifer Hudson , Laverne Cox , and Emma Stone in Hollywood (first seen on Idol , I Want to Work for Diddy , and VH1’s In Search of the Partridge Family ). West Side Story best supporting actress Oscar winner Ariana DeBose began her Broadway career following a stint on So You Think You Can Dance . While Project Runway launched Christian Siriano into the fashion stratosphere, Guy Fieri honed his everyman-gourmand persona on The Next Food Network Star . Without the Real Housewives, the Kardashian-Jenner clan, and the Selling Sunset cast, the pages of gossip rags would be virtually blank.

To state the obvious, reality TV also restored the cultural capital and catalyzed the political rise of our 45th President. In a 2016 interview that the critic James Poniewozik highlights in his book Audience of One: Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America , a former supervising editor of The Apprentice explained the show’s aim: “Make Trump look good, make him look wealthy, legitimate.” Well, it worked. And Trump, the consummate reality star, brought the medium’s guiding principles—conflict, chaos, and public humiliation—to the West Wing

Read more: The 50 Most Influential Reality TV Seasons of All Time

But he was hardly the first to politicize the genre. As early as the ’90s, reality TV was confronting third-rail issues like racism, LGBTQ rights, abortion, homelessness, and AIDS—and that was just in the first three seasons of The Real World . For more than a generation now, reality stars have played as central a role in debates around how Americans should live as any cable-news pundit or newspaper columnist. Millennials and Gen Z have grown up expecting to see their identities, values, and struggles represented on series as ostensibly apolitical as Big Brother and Dancing With the Stars . Which helps to explain the social-media outcry around Trump Administration alum Sean Spicer’s cynical attempt to launder his image with a stint on the latter show.

As that example suggests, reality TV’s winning streak isn’t necessarily good news for society. To the extent that the U.S. has become a harsher, shallower, angrier, more divided place in the 21st century, reality TV—which has helped normalize cruelty, belligerence, superficiality, and disloyalty, and rewarded people who weaponize those traits—bears a share of the blame. As sociologist Danielle J. Lindemann notes in her recent book True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us : “for all of its extreme personalities and outlandish premises, reality TV reflects how regressive we truly are .” With that in mind, our list of reality TV’s most influential seasons is not a celebration of every show, or of the genre writ large. It’s a measure of the profound impact these charming hams, malignant narcissists, and the bizarre situations they keep choosing to inhabit have had on our world, for better and worse.

The Apprentice

Jersey shore, the bachelorette, the masked singer, selling sunset.

Sport and Competition

How reality shows affect our lives and society, what are the negative and positive effects of reality tv.

Posted April 12, 2022 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

• People are often drawn to reality TV because they enjoy the drama and relate to difficult decision-making.
• The theme of self-interest vs. self-sacrifice runs through many reality shows.
• Reality shows often lead people to reflect on what they might do in a similar situation, which can be a good exercise in values exploration.

Millions of people around the world tune in to reality shows and have been watching for decades. What started out as an experiment has turned into mainstream programming and as a culture, we can’t get enough of it.

Is there any personal or societal cost to our ongoing fascination with reality shows? While opinions certainly differ on the topic, it comes down to a few factors:

• The malleability of your values
• Your commitment to behaving in ways that reflect your values

Television and all other forms of media have an impact on our thoughts, opinions, and behaviors. There is no doubt that what we take in for entertainment and information influences the way we think about the world around us. Our minds are designed to synthesize boatloads of information every day, from our interactions with others to the books we read and the entertainment we seek out. We make sense of the world through these pieces of information we gather, and this impacts how we live our lives every day.

Beyond the daily information we absorb, we are also influenced by our prior life experiences, our family of origin, the environment we are raised in and a slew of other cultural and genetic factors. These interpersonal and direct influences are more likely to impact our values and behaviors than reality shows. Does this mean that we should be unconcerned about the ways in which reality show trends impact us? No, we definitely need to pay attention to the underlying messages in these shows and explore why they appeal to us so much.

Why Do Reality Shows Reel Us In?

Reality shows keep us coming back, week after week. We want to know who said what to whom, which person betrayed another or who compromised their alliances or made a shady decision that influenced other people. It’s all about the best and worst of human behavior; it is an observational psychology class without the lecture or exams.

Often reality shows cause us to reflect on what we might do in a similar situation, which can be a good exercise in values exploration. The basic question of self-interest versus self-sacrifice is a theme that runs through most reality shows. These themes of good and bad behaviors, betrayal, competition , and connection are familiar to us; we make similar decisions every day, minus the cameras, artificial scenarios, and publicity. It calls to us because on a very basic level, we love human drama, and we relate to tough decisions. Whether it is a competition for love, money, fame, or notoriety, we enjoy watching the struggle. When we root for our favorite reality show participant, we are identifying something compelling within them, and this may say a lot about us if we choose to explore it. As we indulge in our favorite reality shows, we can ask ourselves:

• What do I enjoy about this show and what emotions does it elicit?
• What appeals to me about these characters and their role in the show?
• Would I make different choices than these characters? If so, why?
• What values do I embrace in my life that are either abided by or abandoned in this show?

Reality shows are ironically named because they are often far from realistic scenarios. Even though these programs are guilty pleasures for so many, we can use them as good conversation starters with friends and as food for thought within our own minds as we consider our values and how to live in ways that demonstrate those values.

Teyhou Smyth, Ph.D., LMFT , teaches psychology at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University.

• Find Counselling
• Find Online Therapy
• South Africa
• Johannesburg
• Port Elizabeth
• Bloemfontein
• Vereeniging
• East London
• Pietermaritzburg
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

student opinion

Does Reality TV Deserve Its Bad Rap?

Is reality television valuable or a waste of time? What messages have you gotten from these kinds of shows?

By Callie Holtermann

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

Do you watch any reality television shows? If so, what are your favorites? What do you like about them?

Do you think of reality television as a time-waster, or a guilty pleasure? Or do you think that TV snobs are the ones missing out?

In “ 11 Reality Shows to Watch With Your Older Kids ,” Noel Murray recommends several entertaining, even substantive, reality shows for teenagers to watch with their families:

The reality TV genre often gets dismissed as irredeemably trashy and filled with fame-starved men and women who’ll stab each other in the back to get more time on camera. But that’s not always the case. Many reality series are more like a cross between a documentary and a game show, featuring a diverse assortment of ordinary people who demonstrate their wits, skills and simple human decency as they compete to win a lot money. And some, like the recent Netflix hit “Floor Is Lava,” are just good, goofy fun, ideal for all ages. The 11 shows below are exciting, funny, moving and educational — and exactly the kind of television that parents should be watching with their kids.

The article continues with Mr. Murray’s recommendations:

‘The Great British Baking Show’ There’s a reason this internationally popular cook-off is considered the nicest show on television. In addition to making some eye-catching cakes, pies and breads, the amateur bakers are all friendly and supportive rather than ruthless. By casting people who represent a variety of ages, ethnicities and religious backgrounds, “The Great British Baking Show” producers are presenting an encouragingly utopian vision of Britain in the 21st century, depicting an eclectic and inviting nation where people appreciate each other for both their differences and for what they have in common. ‘Nailed It!’ Maybe the funniest reality series, “Nailed It!” functions like a parody of “The Great British Baking Show,” replacing skilled home cooks with more ordinary, bumbling bakers. Tasked to replicate impossibly intricate and beautifully decorated confections — under ridiculously tight deadlines, with weird impediments to overcome — these lovable schmoes do their best to produce something that looks and tastes at least passable. Host Nicole Byer brings just the right note of cheery whimsy to a series that allows the audience to laugh at the contestants’ foibles while also encouraging us to admire their pluck. ‘Project Runway: Junior’ Most Little League versions of reality competitions are way too simplified and cutesy; but “Project Runway: Junior” contains nearly everything that made the original a hit, from the fiendish design challenges to the shrewd judging. The big difference is that these teenage designers treat their time together more like a fun and congenial summer camp than like a must-win struggle to become fashion’s next big thing. This is a “Project Runway” with a refreshing feel-good vibe, populated by some arty high school outsiders who boost each other’s self-esteem as they make amazing clothes. ‘Survivor’ It’s only right to end with the granddaddy of American reality TV competitions, which has been on the air for 40 seasons stretched across 20 years. It’s as fascinating in 2020 as it was in 2000 to watch a group of strangers test their physical limits on a remote beach while also forging alliances and secretly strategizing. As with so many other shows on this list, “Survivor” is packed with teachable moments, offering lessons about game theory, trust and the foundations of society itself.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Mr. Murray writes that “the reality TV genre often gets dismissed as irredeemably trashy.” Do you agree with this judgment? Why do you think that some television shows are labeled “highbrow” or intellectual, while others are considered “lowbrow” or trashy? Is this distinction valuable? How do you think art and culture are used to signal social status or class?

What worthwhile reality shows would you add to Mr. Murray’s list? Who are some of your favorite contestants, hosts or guest stars you’ve encountered on reality TV and why?

Mr. Murray describes two of the shows he mentions as “depicting an eclectic and inviting nation where people appreciate each other for both their differences and for what they have in common” and “offering lessons about game theory, trust and the foundations of society itself.” What messages have you gotten from reality television? What lessons have you learned from your favorite shows?

What would you change about reality television? Do you think the genre promotes dangerous stereotypes or underrepresents people of color ? How do you think these issues should be addressed?

In 2015, we asked students which reality shows they would want to join as a guest star or contestant. Which shows would you want to enter? Why?

About Student Opinion

• Find all our Student Opinion questions in this column . • Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it . • Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning .

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Reality TV fuels body anxiety in young people, says survey

Study by Mental Health Foundation finds 24% say shows cause body image issues

Reality TV is fuelling young people’s anxiety about their bodies, which can lead to suicidal thoughts, according to a survey released ahead of the new series of Love Island .

As one of ITV’s most high-profile programmes, there have been calls for the show to feature more plus-size participants to properly reflect society, as scrutiny grows of the effect reality TV has on contestants and viewers.

The Mental Health Foundation is concerned about the impact some television programmes, including Love Island, have on viewers, particularly those targeted at younger audiences who are most likely to feel anxious about their bodies.

Almost one in four people (24%) aged 18-24 say reality TV makes them worry about their body image, according to the YouGov survey of 4,505 UK adults released by the foundation.

More than one in seven (15%) said they had self-harmed or deliberately hurt themselves because of concerns about their body image, and 23% had experienced suicidal thoughts because of concerns in relation to their body image.

As well as the effect on viewers, there has been heightened concern for the mental health of people appearing on reality TV. Two people are believed to have killed themselves after going on Love Island, and The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled by ITV last month after the death of a contestant. Afterwards, it emerged more people who had appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show had subsequently killed themselves .

Although the deaths were not directly linked to appearances on the show, Love Island has instituted new measures to ensure participants are looked after by the production team for more than a year after they take part in the programme.

Dr Antonis Kousoulis from the Mental Health Foundation said: “Love Island has issued mental health aftercare guidelines for contestants, but they must also take into consideration the potential damage being done to viewers.

“Our research clearly shows that a large number of young people say reality TV has a negative impact on how they feel about their own bodies. Concern about body image is linked to anxiety, depression and feelings of shame and disgust.”

He added that the programme projected body images that are “not diverse, [are] largely unrealistic and [are] presented as aspirational”.

ITV’s Richard Cowles told the Guardian last year that the contestants were chosen by the producers to represent an “aspirational version” of the show’s audience.

“Clearly the contestants are extremely attractive – they have to be for the format to work – but we’re not saying the whole world looks like that,” he said. “It is an aspirational show. We’re not trying to pretend this is reality. This is a sort of hyperreal world. Normal life doesn’t always look like this, nor should it.”

However, Kousoulis said a continuing lack of diversity on the show was “feeding unhealthy advertising and media coverage”, and called on Love Island to be mindful of the likely impact on its predominantly young audience.

Adverts for cosmetic surgery during broadcasts of Love Island were banned last year following complaints that they painted a false image of perfection and exacerbated young people’s insecurities. It is understood dieting products will also not be advertised during the show this year.

Recent research has found people can feel increased distress and shame about their bodies when they see images of “ideal” bodies.

The Mental Health Foundation called on ITV to work with the Advertising Standards Authority to vet all adverts during the show, clearly publish details of the psychological support offered to contestants and ensure the show does not include any remarks that are shaming or discriminatory, or could trigger mental health conditions.

An ITV spokesperson said: “ITV celebrates diversity of every sort across our range of programmes and this year’s Love Islanders come from a diverse range of backgrounds with a mix of personalities.

“We have already published a detailed statement on our duty of care processes for Love Islanders before, during and over a year after their appearance on Love Island.”

• Young people
• Love Island
• Jeremy Kyle
• Mental health

More on this story

Lizzo: lack of body positivity in media took toll on mental health

Paul Watson created reality TV with The Family. Then he got even more controversial

Britain’s Got Talent company ‘knew of David Walliams’s derogatory remarks when it offered him £1m deal’

Making my own clothes transformed my body image – and my life

So we are supposed to diet – but not to get ‘diet face’?

Absurd, silly, borderline surreal: why Big Brother is still fantastic television

Strictly Come Dancing: week four results – as it happened

US soprano Kathryn Lewek accuses opera critics of body-shaming

More diverse Big Brother returns to UK after five-year absence

Like a natural woman: why taboos about discussing the female body are dying

Most viewed.

• About the Hub
• Announcements
• Faculty Experts Guide
• Subscribe to the newsletter

Explore by Topic

• Arts+Culture
• Politics+Society
• Science+Technology
• Student Life
• University News
• Voices+Opinion
• About Hub at Work
• Gazette Archive
• Benefits+Perks
• Health+Well-Being
• Current Issue
• About the Magazine
• Past Issues
• Support Johns Hopkins Magazine
• Subscribe to the Magazine

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Credit: Johns Hopkins Magazine

New study suggests that too much TV really can rot your brain

By Brennen Jensen

Ryan Dougherty, a postdoctoral fellow in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has a warning for those zoning out in front of the boob tube: Excessive TV viewing might shrink your brain. Literally.

Drawing on data spanning 20 years, he led a study published in the September issue of Brain Imaging and Behavior suggesting that greater amounts of TV viewing can lead to reduced amounts of cranial gray matter—home to the neurons that perform the bulk of our mental processing.

"Individuals who watched, on average, about an hour and a half more daily television than their peers throughout mid-to-late adulthood saw their brain volume reduced by approximately .5% ," Dougherty says. "That percentage may seem small, but prevailing scientific thought says preserving our brain integrity can prolong the time until we notice age-related cognitive decline."

Working in the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology, Dougherty calls himself a "physical activity and exercise scientist" interested in how walking, biking, swimming, and other aerobic activities support brain health and delay age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. (Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain, and theories suggest this may bring benefits, such as removing toxins and releasing hormones that trigger the creation of new neurons.) And unless your TV is mounted in front of a stationary bike, watching TV is a sedentary behavior—the pastime of proverbial couch potatoes.

His research utilized the ongoing longitudinal study Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults, or CARDIA , launched in 1985 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and involving more than 5,000 participants from four U.S. cities. Although it was designed to study how lifestyle choices can impact long-term cardiovascular health, aspects of the sizable and evolving study are of interest to cognitive health scientists as well, particularly a substudy of 599 participants who were given MRI scans in 2010. Every five years, CARDIA participants are asked to report the average number of hours of TV they watched daily over the previous year. Participants in the substudy were also given MRI scans when they reached age 50.

These participants reported watching a daily average of 2.5 hours of TV, which held steady across 20 years. Dougherty and his study colleagues analyzed the data to find that those engaging in 1.4 hours of additional daily viewing, or more, had a half percent reduction in gray matter on the MRI scan performed at age 50.

Curiously, while earlier research has established that regular physical activity can slow cognitive decline, those participants who reported engaging in both above-average TV viewing and regular exercise showed the same gray matter reductions. "It would suggest that just becoming more physically active alone is not going to negate the negative effects associated with television viewing," Dougherty says. (While the study wasn't able to determine what programming people watched, he hypothesizes that documentaries might be less brain- shrinking than reality TV or other fluff.)

Too much TV may be bad for your long-term brain health

The proof is in: tv really does rot your brain.

Mindful of his study's limitations, including its reliance on self-reporting, Dougherty isn't ready to definitively say binge-watching shrinks your brain. Still, he says, his findings contribute to a growing body of research warning about the dangers of excessive TV watching and echo research done by others using the longitudinal study's data that points to a correlation between excessive TV viewing and poorer performance on cognitive tests.

"We should be conscientious about our behaviors and try to decrease sedentary time and increase physical activity," Dougherty concludes. "Television viewing is just one type of sedentary behavior, but it's an easily modifiable one." (Indeed, recent studies suggest that other sedentary activities, such as board games and puzzles, might help preserve gray matter—put down the remote, pick up some crosswords.)

Just don't expect Netflix to make a documentary about all this. "No," Dougherty says with a laugh. "I don't think that would be good for business."

Posted in Health

Tagged brain science , neuroscience , television , cardia

You might also like

News network.

• Johns Hopkins Magazine
• Get Email Updates
• Submit an Announcement
• Submit an Event
• Privacy Statement
• Accessibility

Discover JHU

• About the University
• Schools & Divisions
• Academic Programs
• Plan a Visit
• my.JohnsHopkins.edu
• © 2024 Johns Hopkins University . All rights reserved.
• University Communications
• 3910 Keswick Rd., Suite N2600, Baltimore, MD
• X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram

Reality TV does more harm than good Essay Example

• Pages: 3 (617 words)
• Published: August 12, 2016
• Type: Article

Yes, in some ways reality TV is dumbing us down. Reality TV is kind of dumbing down television as a whole. Networks have learned that, because actors demand such high salaries and production costs are high, it's actually cheaper to do reality television, where the contestants pretty much work for free. We also see unrealistic behavior (like the housewives-of-anywhere), and people like to emulate some of the behavior they see on TV. Reality television does more harm than good. Reality television is not good for society.

People should not watch reality shows because they present absurd situations. Although these shows are called reality, they are sensationalistic displays of explicit sexual behavior that pander to the people's base desires. Reality shows have a deceptive name that belies their sordid content

. A False Sense of Reality I believe reality television can do more harm than good. When you consider the scripting that some of these reality programs endure, its hardly reality anymore, but people take it as such.

When people falsely believe something is real they start to associate their own values with the reality they see on TV. If they have false perceptions, it can be difficult when your life doesn't add up the same way. So, when you realize people like the Robertson's from Duck Dynasty aren't really the beard wearing hooligans they portray on TV, but just a family that decided to brand themselves a certain way, it becomes hard to assess what is real and what is not. Divorces, Break Ups Reality television shows have caused marriages to fail on national television.

It has caused teenage girls to

want to get pregnant just to make money. It has caused families to break up and argue. Reality television isn't good for America; it's just a distraction from the real world so humans don't have to get any real change done in our world. Reality television does more harm than good. Reality television is a base form of entertainment and it panders to people's lowest desires. It shows explicit sex and violence and it should not be available to children.

Reality TV is not actually realistic. It should more honestly be called unscripted television, because it does not feature professional actors. CON Does watching movies, reading books, kissing, running, thinking, or watching TV serve a function? Yes; they entertain. Like the Kardashians (somehow) do. What is the point of watching Kim Kardashian complain about her daily life when you can read a book, watch a documentary, or help out in the many charities out there that need volunteers. Because it’s entertaining.

What is the point of reading a book when it does not serve society? Why watch a documentary since it doesn't change society? The only thing it serves for the audience is entertainment utility, but we don't want a society that focuses too much on pointless entertainment that is of no value. Going out of one's house and helping out a charity or watching a documentary also has entertainment value and also creates something of worth to society, either the extra helping hand or the additional knowledge gained.

Why is knowledge or charity more important than entertainment? They are all meaningless in the long run. Whether or not you know that

Hitler wanted to be an artist does not change when the Earth changes. To conclude it is pointless entertainment, which does more harm by the opportunity cost lost as a result of people taking part in watching this reality television shows. Why is it a bad opportunity cost? And why are you debating it with only 38 viewers? You aren't serving society!

• Jersey shore contraversy Essay Example
• Predictably Irrational Essay Example
• Compare and Contrast: Play and Movie Essay Example
• The Great Gatsby : Movie vs. Book Essay Example
• Quotidian Films and the 'World That is Ours' Essay Example
• “A Thousand Words” Directed by Brian Robins Essay Example
• The Difference Between the Movie and Book of the Picture of Dorian Gray Essay Example
• Reaction Paper Example about Movie Essay Example
• "Thinking Outside the Idiot Box" vs. “Watching TV Makes You Smarter” Essay Example
• Roger And Me Essay Example
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder- Daisy Randone Essay Example
• Reaction Paper 1996 Movie Michael Collins Essay Example
• Dish Network External Analysis Essay Example
• Television: Then and Now Essay Example
• Reality Tv Persuasive Essay Example
• Wall Street essays
• Dead Poets Society essays
• A beautiful mind essays
• Sherlock Holmes essays
• Our day out essays
• American Beauty essays
• Do The Right Thing essays
• Forrest Gump essays
• Good Will Hunting essays
• Finding Forrester essays
• Looking For Alibrandi essays
• On The Waterfront essays
• One Flew Over The Cuckoo'S Nest essays
• Rabbit Proof Fence essays
• Remember The Titans essays
• Schindler'S List essays
• Shawshank Redemption essays
• The Blind Side essays
• Titanic essays
• Witness essays
• The Veil essays
• Blade Runner essays
• Monster essays
• The Graduate essays
• Twilight essays
• West Side Story essays
• Like Water For Chocolate essays
• Glory essays
• Superman essays
• Moulin rouge essays
• American Films essays
• Cinema Of The United States essays
• English-Language Films essays
• Film Editing essays
• Film Noir essays
• Film Techniques essays
• Horror essays
• Bollywood essays
• The time essays
• Saving private ryan essays
• The hunger games essays
• Comedies essays
• Gattaca essays
• King kong essays
• Melodrama essays
• Resident essays
• Subject matter essays
• The blind essays
• The corner essays
• The godfather essays

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards.

• Enter your topic/question
• Receive an explanation
• Ask one question at a time
• Enter a specific assignment topic
• Aim at least 500 characters
• a topic sentence that states the main or controlling idea
• supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
• evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
• analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.

Unfortunately copying the content is not possible

Tell us your email address and we’ll send this sample there..

By continuing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions .

We Real Cool

Does reality television do more harm than good.

if you know please tell me thank you

I certainly think it does more harm than good. It is scripted reality meaning studios manipulate the narrative of the story as well as the people involved. There is little educational or reflective quality in these shows. They tend to exploit our most basic and primal traits.

Log In To Your GradeSaver Account

• Remember me
• Forgot your password?

Create Your GradeSaver Account

• Free Essays

Reality TV does more harm than good

Sorry, but downloading text is forbidden on this website. if you need this or any other sample, we can send it to you via email. please, specify your valid email address.

By clicking "Submit", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.

Thank you! How about make it original at only $13.90/page?

Let us edit it for you at only $13.90 to make it 100% original!

Yes, in some ways reality TV is dumbing us down. Reality TV is kind of dumbing down television as a whole. Networks have learned that, because actors demand such high salaries and production costs are high, it's actually cheaper to do reality television, where the contestants pretty much work for free. We also see unrealistic behavior (like the housewives-of-anywhere), and people like to emulate some of the behavior they see on TV. Reality television does more harm than good. Reality television is not good for society.

People should not watch reality shows because they present absurd situations. Although these shows are called reality, they are sensationalistic displays of explicit sexual behavior that pander to the people's base desires. Reality shows have a deceptive name that belies their sordid content. A False Sense of Reality I believe reality television can do more harm than good. When you consider the scripting that some of these reality programs endure, its hardly reality anymore, but people take it as such.

When people falsely believe something is real they start to associate their own values with the reality they see on TV. If they have false perceptions, it can be difficult when your life doesn't add up the same way. So, when you realize people like the Robertson's from Duck Dynasty aren't really the beard wearing hooligans they portray on TV, but just a family that decided to brand themselves a certain way, it becomes hard to assess what is real and what is not. Divorces, Break Ups Reality television shows have caused marriages to fail on national television.

It has caused teenage girls to want to get pregnant just to make money. It has caused families to break up and argue. Reality television isn't good for America; it's just a distraction from the real world so humans don't have to get any real change done in our world. Reality television does more harm than good. Reality television is a base form of entertainment and it panders to people's lowest desires. It shows explicit sex and violence and it should not be available to children.

Reality TV is not actually realistic. It should more honestly be called unscripted television, because it does not feature professional actors. CON Does watching movies, reading books, kissing, running, thinking, or watching TV serve a function? Yes; they entertain. Like the Kardashians (somehow) do. What is the point of watching Kim Kardashian complain about her daily life when you can read a book, watch a documentary, or help out in the many charities out there that need volunteers. Because it’s entertaining.

What is the point of reading a book when it does not serve society? Why watch a documentary since it doesn't change society? The only thing it serves for the audience is entertainment utility, but we don't want a society that focuses too much on pointless entertainment that is of no value. Going out of one's house and helping out a charity or watching a documentary also has entertainment value and also creates something of worth to society, either the extra helping hand or the additional knowledge gained.

Why is knowledge or charity more important than entertainment? They are all meaningless in the long run. Whether or not you know that Hitler wanted to be an artist does not change when the Earth changes. To conclude it is pointless entertainment, which does more harm by the opportunity cost lost as a result of people taking part in watching this reality television shows. Why is it a bad opportunity cost? And why are you debating it with only 38 viewers? You aren't serving society!

Abstract The area of emerging technology and marketing has become an topic…

The Internet has brought greater prosperity, allowing not only established business more…

Since the media has been coming in this age, advertising is growth…

Experiments are a way of life for psychologists, especially social psychologists. Testing…

There is a clear looming danger of psychological consequences amongst the American…

Martin Luther King’s speech was only 16 minutes long. Martin Luther King’s…

Internet is one important part of our dally life. We cannot live…

The Internet can influence us in many different ways. The internet is…

According to a 2007 Time Magazine poll, sixty eight percent of people…

Reality television is popular all over the world. The influence reality television…

Since the creation of reality television, people have been influenced for both…

First of all, let’s define “reality television”. As Wikipedia explaines, “Reality television…

Hi! We can edit and customize this paper for you. Just send your request for getting no plagiarism essay

HAVEN’T FOUND YOUR TOPIC?

Let us write it for you!