reality tv?
if so-called 'reality television' is indeed real - i'm worried for our society today.
this year, a new show called "moment of truth" is making national headlines. for this show, people are hooked to a lie detector test and asked a series of questions. they are rewarded money for every question they answer honestly -- on national television. to date, people have admitted life-altering confessions: one said he is postponing having a child with his spouse because he isn't sure he wants to stay married to her; one woman said she wonders if she should've married her ex-boyfriend rather than her current fiance. these people sit on national televison and embarrass their significant others - for what? a couple extra thousand dollars (which, by the way, they automatically lose if they answer a question dishonestly)? has our society gotten so greedy that we're willing to do whatever it takes for money?
an episode on mtv right now makes me think so. i'm watching the finale of 'the gauntlet.' in it, two teams are competing for $300,000 to be split among all team members. for one leg of the race, the team members' are chained together and are racing each other to a further destination. one young man who is obese is obviously struggling - his eyes are rolling in the back of his head, he can't stand on his own, and he is sweating profusely. do his team members stop to help? oh no. they literally pull him along until he collapses onto the ground. then, surely they show sympathy - right? oh no. they yell at him. while's almost unconscious, gasping for breath, they're screaming at him for making them lose $300,000. so now money is even more important than someone else's life?? ironically enough, they don't get the money even though they finished the competition first -- evidently it was a team competiton and they left a team member behind (in an ambulance). justice was served, in my opinion.
whatever happened to wholesome television like bill cosby? i don't care if that does make me sound old. i'm sick of selfish, greedy reality. if i wanted that, i'd turn on the news.
this year, a new show called "moment of truth" is making national headlines. for this show, people are hooked to a lie detector test and asked a series of questions. they are rewarded money for every question they answer honestly -- on national television. to date, people have admitted life-altering confessions: one said he is postponing having a child with his spouse because he isn't sure he wants to stay married to her; one woman said she wonders if she should've married her ex-boyfriend rather than her current fiance. these people sit on national televison and embarrass their significant others - for what? a couple extra thousand dollars (which, by the way, they automatically lose if they answer a question dishonestly)? has our society gotten so greedy that we're willing to do whatever it takes for money?
an episode on mtv right now makes me think so. i'm watching the finale of 'the gauntlet.' in it, two teams are competing for $300,000 to be split among all team members. for one leg of the race, the team members' are chained together and are racing each other to a further destination. one young man who is obese is obviously struggling - his eyes are rolling in the back of his head, he can't stand on his own, and he is sweating profusely. do his team members stop to help? oh no. they literally pull him along until he collapses onto the ground. then, surely they show sympathy - right? oh no. they yell at him. while's almost unconscious, gasping for breath, they're screaming at him for making them lose $300,000. so now money is even more important than someone else's life?? ironically enough, they don't get the money even though they finished the competition first -- evidently it was a team competiton and they left a team member behind (in an ambulance). justice was served, in my opinion.
whatever happened to wholesome television like bill cosby? i don't care if that does make me sound old. i'm sick of selfish, greedy reality. if i wanted that, i'd turn on the news.
posted by lethes | 7:45 PM
2 Comments:
to play devil's advocate, no one is forcing you to watch this junk.
i agree with you but the reality of most of these shows is highly questionable even in the scenarios you described.
as you know, i'm evolving into a highly cynical person regarding these types of things. i just don't believe 99.9% of what is supposed to be 'reality' tv.
i actually meant to add a conclusion that said, even if this isn't 'real,' it IS really sad that this stuff is so popular. someone is watching it and making it seem like a good idea. so, either the people on the shows are pathetic, or the audience getting the enjoyment from them... i don't know which is worse.
i, however, am NOT watching them! i stopped watching 'moment of truth' after the first episode. and i didn't expect the mtv show to be like that. the rerun was on last night and i changed it. it's repulsive.
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