Fantastic Cecily- I wonder if the Girl Scouts have a Reality TV survival badge? I must admit that I am enjoying this construction of knowledge.
TV is very much a part of young people’s lives and it is too simplistic to turn it off- a point we are all seem to agree on. Ignoring the issue is a very turn a blind eye approach yet blaming television for all our woes is perhaps even more blind-sighted! While I squirm at much of what reality TV has to offer the ‘reality’ it is here to stay. We need to acknowledge the potential risk, go into damage control and be prepared to fight back with well-equipped, highly critical youth.
Why is it that this genre of television continues to bombard our screens? Well I can’t wait to read your post- as I am sure you can offer more of an insight. The obvious I am sure is ratings- people seem to want to see this kind of drama unfold, perhaps because our lives aren’t as ‘exciting or dramatic’ as this or perhaps because it makes us feel better about our own lives?
In my journey on the web I found this wiki- TV Tropes that categorises reality TV into three groups: the fly on the wall experience, the hidden camera approach and the reality game show. I like these descriptions, as they tend to involve traditional program genres.
If we deconstruct shows like Big Brother, Master Chef, Farmer wants a Wife, Four Weddings, Survivor and so on they all exist on the basic principle of competition- a 21st century Lord of the Flies approach where ego and self-ambition linger far after the guilt of backstabbing dissolves. Everyone is in direct competition and it is often the most deceptive, most cunning player that wins the game. Even the ‘nice’ contestants play the game through sheer participation- a little different to Family Feud and Wheel of Fortune- but the principles are more or less the same- win the game! These shows offer perfect opportunities to discuss some of the basic principles of socialisation in terms of turn taking, sharing, playing nicely with others and teamwork. They can also be used to aid emotional development as we sympathise, identify and empathise with characters and situations.
In more of the social lesson type reality shows like Cops, RBT and Lockdown- the fly on the wall approach, the boundary between sitcom and documentary is very much blurred. They are not only designed for entertainment rather they become a public service announcement. Here reality TV merges with the news, with drama and documentary to have us not only look at ‘the other’ but to also reflect back on ourselves- we empathise, we laugh, we cry and we talk- and perhaps this is the most valuable role of reality TV- the power to evoke communication.
If we talk about what we see, if we challenge new ideas and open dialogue about the way characters act or behave, then perhaps we can learn many valuable life lessons like consequence, accountability, morality and values. These principles bring hope to even the trashiest of TV- they can all be discussed, challenged and embraced for what- am I too optimistic to long for social change?
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