Don't get me wrong, I've watched a season or two here and there of shows like American Idol, The Voice, and the Apprentice. I catch snippets of Duck Dynasty or 19 Kids and Counting as I walk through the room while the wife or kids have it on.
I don't hate them out of ignorance, I hate them because I've seen them.
It's not just that the content is repetitive. It's not just that the shows really stretch the "reality." It's not just the "too good to be true" morals on display. It's not the blustering narcissism. It's not the sappy heartstrings pulling story lines.
No, I hate them because of what they are doing to us as a society.
The news about Josh Duggar that just broke is just another in a long line of examples of how reality shows destroy the lives of their subjects. Now, Duggar would have been guilty regardless of whether he starred on a reality show or not- but how many marriages have fallen apart on screen for our entertainment?
Real marriages. Real people.
For our ENTERTAINMENT.
Of all the things blamed for destroying traditional marriage, why is this not near the top of the list?
And what about role models? I just got done explaining the fall of Miley Cyrus to my daughters who adored Hannah Montana, now I have to explain not one but two scandals from the Duggars? A family that seemed safe to let kids watch?
But here is the thing- I don't hate the people on the shows. This is happening to them just as much as they are doing it to themselves. They are caught up in something they don't fully understand, and it's too late to get out.
I hate that we are allowing our view of reality to become warped and damaged by "reality as entertainment."
When marriages break up on a serialized drama, it's not real. When Jon and Kate broke up, it was real. Especially for those 8 kids.
We are becoming desensitized. And worse, we are starting to see our love for this type of entertainment start to have real effects on the world.
If the Presidential election were held today, a reality star would have a real shot at winning. And then there is this story about some 15 year old kid that has gotten "Deez Nuts" polling higher than actual candidates.
We seem to think the reality TV solution to making a mistake will work out in the real world.
Donald Trump has interesting ideas in between massive doses of narcissitic and belligerence. Because I want those qualities in a president when negotiating a dicey peace treaty.
I get that Americans are tired of politics as usual in Washington. But please, oh please, do not turn the keys over to a guy whose solution to opposition is belittling them and talking about how much smarter he is.
But it's not Trump.
It's us.
We've forgotten that there are real consequences. Real marriages end. Real lives depend on our leaders decisions.
If we want reality, it's not found on TV. So, let's do ourselves- and the subjects of these show themselves- a favor, and stop watching them.
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