Reality TV

Reality TV has a negative influence on our society. It fills a lot of hours on television and promotes an unreasonable view on happiness. Have all the nice cars and fancy clothes, and be famous for doing nothing. It also does not send a good message about how to live. These shows do not show much about people working to make a living or even helping others. A lot of it is unintelligent individuals partying or going on trips to exotic islands, always having fun. That is not how the real world works. It is a selfish way to live. In the real world, people actually have to work and they do not have enough time to spend all of it partying. These shows have a history of rewarding bad behavior. Back then if you were 16 and pregnant, you would get into trouble. Now you get a TV show. Compromise your morals and make a sextape, it can get you tons of attention and fame. These reality TV shows may earn high ratings and money, but it sends the wrong message to viewers. It is okay to do morally questionable actions; it may even make you famous.

Usually with these shows comes alcohol consumption. Young adults watch and think that drinking is a cool thing to do. It may be all fun and games but there are risks to alcohol abuse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked alcohol consumption with homicide, suicide attempts, serious accidents, and high-risk sexual behavior. I am not stating that nobody should drink alcohol. I am stating that reality TV shows should not show a biased opinion of drinking it. However, correlation does not mean causation, but there is a trend.

I know that not all reality shows are about spoiled kids with zero responsibilities. There are some good, inspirational stories out there. “The Biggest Loser” from NBC promotes healthy eating, exercising, and determination. I watched one episode and I felt like throwing my chips in the trash and going for a run, which I did not do due to the fact that it was 1 a.m. and I am lazy. These kinds of shows can push someone to better themselves instead of sitting and pondering about their lives if they lived like the Kardashians. Another good example is “Dirty Jobs.” It is about a man named Mike Rowe who goes around country and finds all the dirtiest, grime filled jobs in the country. The show offers a glimpse of hardworking men and women who earn an honest living doing the kinds of jobs that make normal, modern day living possible for the rest of us. There should be more of these shows that promote learning and determination towards a goal.

Personally, I do not watch much TV and do not care much about what they air, but I think shows like “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” should not be aired. Shows like these do not promote a healthy way to live and glamourize the party lifestyle. Instead, they should be replaced with shows that can inspire people, either to lose weight or chase their dreams to be the next American Idol. Shows that demonstrate hard work and determination.