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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 28. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
What do you think of reality tv? What do you think are the positive aspects of it, and what are the negitive? Do you think it's been good for our socity or is it just more "trash television"?
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2007, at 12:16:51
In reply to Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
I like it I think it shows the way things are. Love Phillipa.
Posted by caraher on February 4, 2007, at 12:27:35
In reply to Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
Mostly bad. You take a highly-selected group of people and put them in a highly artificial situation, film them, select the most titillating vignettes and call that "reality?" "Unscripted television" would be more accurate (and even then I'd have my doubts!).
The notion that the bahavior seen on these shows reflect "reality" only further distorts the already warped norms portrayed on television in general. The participants are self-selected for their attraction to notoriety and further selected by producers for their proclivity to do things that will draw viewer interest. You wind up with with "highlight" reels of often self-centered, boorish, loudmouthed exhibitionists and victims of their behavior, presented for our voyeuristic amusement.
I suppose there are touching moments redeeming some of the programs, and not all are equally apalling. But for the most part their participants are simply objects for vapid entertainment.
(I have watched some of these, dating back to the early seasons of "The Real World," so lest you think I come off arrogant and superior here know that I include myself as the object of my scolding!)
Posted by sunnydays on February 4, 2007, at 14:21:05
In reply to Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
I'm not sure that it's been good for society, and I think calling it reality is an unfortunate name, but boy do I love watching it! I think some shows like the Amazing Race, or Everest (on Discovery Channel) have more to offer than shows like I Love New York (on vh1, I think) or Fear Factor. There is so much variety at this point, that it's hard for me to generalize. I love the ones that give me glimpses of another world or another profession, like Top Chef or Project Runway. Some of the ones that are just about the people, like Big Brother or Real World, I just find boring.
sunnydays
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 14:55:40
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by caraher on February 4, 2007, at 12:27:35
Just what we need and deserve these days.
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 15:05:08
In reply to Festivals of Shamelessness and Humiliation, posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 14:55:40
I take that back. No one could deserve it. We all deserve much better. It's just cheap to make and panders to the worst in us.
To look on the bright side though, it has led to a lot of people giving up on TV altogether.
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 15:16:00
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad? » Gee, posted by sunnydays on February 4, 2007, at 14:21:05
What about The Batchelor?
And the one where all these fat ugly (excuse me, this is what it does to you) men (could I have said women?) have to win the heart of a beautiful woman onscreen? The first one to turn up in the arena doesn't know the deal, but by the time the second man turns up, *he* knows what the other contestants are like and the nature of the game. Evicted one at a time.
I only know about this stuff from reading. For a long time I have preferred to stare at the ceiling in the dark rather than watch the TV at all.
Therefore I miss out on the good shows, but they are always on after 10.30 anyway. I have missed 'Six Feet Under', 'Shameless', 'Extras' and all the other good ones, curled up in bed reading about some tragedy.
Posted by Honore on February 4, 2007, at 15:44:39
In reply to You are the weakest link. Goodbye., posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 15:16:00
Ah, Declan. It's good to know that one pure spirit survives amongst the sordid and tawdry souls that generally inhabit this miserable little planet.
I feel refreshed and chastened.
Thank goodness not all are as benighted as I have become. You are the true inheritor of Dostoevski and Gogol
{{Declan}}
Honore
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2007, at 16:40:55
In reply to Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
I can't even watch episodes of "I Love Lucy" (as just an example) where the character actually embarasses themselves. And that's a scripted show. I have to hide my face, or turn the channel. My husband thinks it's funny, but he prescreens shows for embarassment factor and tells me not to watch them, or fasts forward through the embarassing parts.
No way can I watch "reality tv".
Posted by caraher on February 4, 2007, at 17:09:56
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad? » Gee, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2007, at 16:40:55
> I can't even watch episodes of "I Love Lucy" (as just an example) where the character actually embarasses themselves. And that's a scripted show. I have to hide my face, or turn the channel. My husband thinks it's funny, but he prescreens shows for embarassment factor and tells me not to watch them, or fasts forward through the embarassing parts.
My wife is pretty much the same way, though she tries to watch anyway. "Seinfeld" is deadly... especially pretty much anything George does or says.
Posted by madeline on February 4, 2007, at 17:20:18
In reply to Actually, posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 15:05:08
well said.
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2007, at 17:27:01
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by caraher on February 4, 2007, at 17:09:56
:)
Glad to know I'm not alone.
It's been a source of much amusement to all who know me.
Lately he's been trying to introduce me to "The Office", but has to fast forward so much that I'm not sure I'm getting the full flavor.
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 17:49:08
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad? » caraher, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2007, at 17:27:01
I'm impressed Dinah. The foremost depiction of shamelessness and narcissism.
Ricky Gervais is a genius.
But it certainly hurts watching it sometimes.
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 17:52:33
In reply to Yes, I am the weakest link. Goodbye. (Sob), posted by Honore on February 4, 2007, at 15:44:39
Thankyou, you're so sweet. (All of you other lot too). This is why I come here.
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2007, at 18:28:23
In reply to Re: Yes, I am the weakest link. Goodbye. (Sob) » Honore, posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 17:52:33
Well I guess I misinterrpreted what reality TV is as the only shows I live are Greys Anatomy, ER, Intervention. Oh well more ignorance on my part. Love Phillipa
Posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 19:11:30
In reply to Re: Yes, I am the weakest link. Goodbye. (Sob), posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2007, at 18:28:23
Hey PJ, I know about them from my kids who would drag me to Ricky Lake and the worse one (I forget who) and beg me to watch with them, which I did.
On one show (obviously scipted) there was this really obese man who may or may not have been justifying sex with a family member (it hardly matters) and he took his shirt off and held his manboobs and juggled them around and started to sing 'Don't you think I'm sexy?' (or something), and this started me thinking about shame and how we handle it over time. 100 years ago people accepted shame and now they demand to be freed from it. At the same time standards change so that humiliation becomes more common. Respect, so often mentioned, is so often denied.
You know that standard kid thing, really just a joke we share around here. You cut yourself shaving (badly) and the kid says 'What's that?' and you say 'I cut myself shaving' and the kid says 'You suck', and you both laugh because it is a joke about the denial of mutuality.
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2007, at 19:25:01
In reply to Re: Yes, I am the weakest link. Goodbye. (Sob), posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 19:11:30
Declan the shows I mentioned are about hospitals and residents and recovering addicts. Where's the man with the juggling man boobs? Again my ignorance is showing. Love to you PJ
Posted by caraher on February 4, 2007, at 19:25:44
In reply to Re: Yes, I am the weakest link. Goodbye. (Sob), posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 19:11:30
Those "talk" shows (like Jerry Springer") are notorious for things like free-flowing alcohol backstage. I wasn't even thinking of those programs under "reality shows" but they have many of the same "features."
There was a killing a few years ago as a result of the "Jenny Jones" show... they had a "secret crush revealed" theme they'd trot out periodically, and they had a guy come out for the taping with a female coworker. But the "twist" was that while he was expecting her to confess to a crush on him, in fact it was a man who declared his love. The object of the crush was embarassed and wound up fatally shooting the other man several weeks later. Nothing excuses what he did; but it seems quite likely that without the public stunt there'd be a lot less tendency to resort to unconscionable violence.
Posted by Jay on February 4, 2007, at 19:26:00
In reply to Festivals of Shamelessness and Humiliation, posted by Declan on February 4, 2007, at 14:55:40
> Just what we need and deserve these days.
Yes...exactly. BUT, one show that lifts my spirits is Extreme Makeover : Home Edition. No yuppies sqwaking about the 'trim'. Just poor folk who have been handed and stuck on the lowest rung, given what *EVERY* single person in the world deserves: a safe, warm, comfortable home. (Hopefully with lots of love.)
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2007, at 19:32:27
In reply to Re: Festivals of Shamelessness and Humiliation.BUT, posted by Jay on February 4, 2007, at 19:26:00
Jay yes that's a very good show. What happened to the Nannie's. Watch that one and you'll never want kids. I wouldn't anyway. Love Phillipa
Posted by Larry Hoover on February 5, 2007, at 6:57:33
In reply to Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Gee on February 4, 2007, at 11:38:27
> What do you think of reality tv? What do you think are the positive aspects of it, and what are the negitive? Do you think it's been good for our socity or is it just more "trash television"?
I find reality TV to be exploitative, and degrading. I get no thrill from seeing people humiliated, or from public examination of what should be private events. Moreover, the circumstances shown are often so contrived, I fail to understand why it is not call unreality TV.
That said, I have caught a few shows, and I sometimes find myself drawn as to a car wreck. Only thing is, those are people with real feelings. That is the real part. I generally find myself with a very sour feeling after glimpsing these shows. Even Amazing Race does that to me.
I think reality TV is an antisocial force. I think it will weaken our culture. But maybe I'm just an old f*rt.
Lar
Posted by Jo U.K on February 5, 2007, at 7:20:11
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad? » Gee, posted by Larry Hoover on February 5, 2007, at 6:57:33
I agree Larry, it is car crash tv. It's not good to get a kick out of watching some other poor soul suffering humilition or worse. Unfortunately it seems part of the human condition to be like this - think of the crowds drawn to watching hangings. Or slaves fighting losing battles against wild animals in Roman times. The modern day rubber -neckers at roadside accidents. Awful.
Jo
Posted by Gee on February 5, 2007, at 17:06:17
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad?, posted by Jo U.K on February 5, 2007, at 7:20:11
I've been doing a lot of research on reality tv, and a lot of people feel that while it's not great television, it's here to stay.
I must say personally, I really like some of it. America's next top model is one of my favs.
I also believe that TV as a whole is responsible for the downfall in our morals. People are willing to do whatever it takes to get onto TV. Just read over what the requirements are to be on America's Next Top Model http://www.fox34.com/top_model/model_rules.pdf
(sorry, I have no idea how to do a link...) My personal favourite is part 19 where it basically says you have to be willing to do and say anything to be on this show.On the other hand, show's like The Real World on MTV have been somewhat good for our society. Pretty well every season has some kind of homosexual person on it, and it this has helped many teens see that it's not wrong, and that they'll be OK. And The Biggest Loser, has helped LOTS of people lose weight.
So that's what I've found... You gotta love stupid pointless papers... do profs really have nothing better to do?
Posted by TexasChic on February 5, 2007, at 19:27:45
In reply to Re: Reality TV -- good or bad? -- Everyone, posted by Gee on February 5, 2007, at 17:06:17
But I do get bored with them quickly. I usually don't watch any of them more than one season. After one I lose interest. The exception is Survivor, but as soon as it starts to bore me - I'm gone. In fact, I've quit watching it midseason before.
Of course there are different kinds of reality shows, like the ER one Phillipa was talking about. Those are real... and gross. And there have always been game shows, news shows, talk shows, ect. I don't see reality shows as any more or less detrimental to society than other tv, its all mindless entertainment. I think people are just sick of the silliness of the particular form that has caught on here lately. But everyone has some form of escapism, who's to say one person's is better than another's. Whatever gets you through.
-T
P.S. I can't watch Extreme Home Makeover because it makes me cry uncontrollably.
Posted by Declan on February 5, 2007, at 21:30:12
In reply to I like them - guess I 'm easily amused, posted by TexasChic on February 5, 2007, at 19:27:45
Good to see someone bucking the trend.
I am interested that Extreme Homemakeover makes you cry uncontrollably.
Such shows make me edgy because they can do all this stuff, and they don't look all that smart, which just goes to show etc etc.
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