Growing up, I hated the basement. My mother would often send me to the pantry and, unwilling to admit I was scared, I would creep slowly down the stairs, flick on the lights, and close the door on myself as I rummaged through the pantry. Once I had found the requested item I would peek my head out of the door and bolt as fast as I could back up the stairs, back to the kitchen, back to my mom and back to safety. This process was almost immediately repeated as my mother knowingly would ask “Did you turn off the light?”
As we grow older childhood fears fade away as logic and reason replace mystery and uncertainty. Yet as we outgrow childhood fears new ones take their place. The boggie man is not a dark shapeless creature hiding in your closet, but ISIS will behead or burn you alive if somehow you end up their hostage. The boy wearing a Halloween mask is not a monster like you thought, but he may be contagious with measles. And while the mere sight of a spider used to make you cry, the termites which could infect your house eat away the largest investment you will ever make.
These adult fears cannot be easily reasoned away. Speaking practically, there is very little that one 21 year old can do about ISIS or the measles outbreak. Here is where I think the appeal of reality Tv comes from.
Tv, in general, is a mindless indulgence which helps us relax after a busy day of work or classes. The news is a sharp reminder of reality, exploiting our fears by sensationalizing the news and prodding our sense of responsibility. Dramas often explore the subjects of our fears making the possibility of being kidnapped by supposed terrorists (Scandal) or murdered by a crazy neighbor for a coincidence beyond your control (choose any crime show, NCIS, Castle, Law and Order etc.) seem more and more likely. Yet, when we turn to comedies the humor is based upon coincidence and situations which seem beyond our acceptable threshold of possible within the context of an “average” day.
Here is where reality Tv steps in. Real enough to seem like an average day in their lives, the problems which the actors(?)/contestants/people face are trivial in comparison to the real world problems which affect our daily lives. From stolen boyfriends to wearing the same dress to a party, these conflicts provide the viewer with enough drama to entertain without being substantial enough provoke thought or self reflection.
While our fears may never be as simple as they were in our childhood, reality Tv provides us with a temporary respite from the world where the conflicts are sometimes irrational but always understandable and the consequences aren’t dire.
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!