Does Reality Television Have Value Or Not?

341 Words2 Pages
Reality television frequently portrays a modified and highly influenced form of reality, at times utilizing sensationalism to attract audience viewers and increase advertising revenue profits. Participants are often placed in exotic locations or abnormal situations, and are often persuaded to act in specific scripted ways by off-screen "story editors" or "segment television producers", with the portrayal of events and speech manipulated and contrived to create an illusion of reality through direction and post-production editing techniques. Reality TV, which is in the business of making us feel good rather than be good, actually contributes to the growing problems in our society by celebrating human weakness rather than human excellence. Reality TV doesn't empower us, but rather overpowers us by taking our innate power and inner knowing and spirituality away from us, leaving us feeling insecure, inadequate, less fulfilled, isolated and confused by virtue of the promotion of anti-social behavior, excessive self-indulgence, self-entitlement, greed, compromised integrity, obsession with winning at all costs, and erosion in morality. Although the critics of reality TV are highly outspoken, there is also the counterargument of the benefits of the genre on its participants and audience. For the people who volunteer themselves for the likes of "American Idol" and "America's Next Top Model," winning the show is potentially a life-changing experience and a springboard to a career in the entertainment industry. The reward is there for the taking, but it's often not just the winners who can make a name for themselves. Tocarra Jones, a participant on season 3 of "America's Next Top Model," may not have won the show, but she is still a working plus-size model today signed to the largest modeling agency in the world. Whether we approve of reality television or not it will
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