Ups and Downs of Reality Television

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How far are we willing to go as viewers to support the realistic trials of the lives of others as a source of entertainment? Reality television has become a staple in the media and entertainment business. With the growing support of television watchers everywhere, reality television has become a part of every family’s weekly television viewing. Some of the shows aired make me wonder just how much would we allow to be shown on television, is the life of another worth the fame or entertainment? The Hunger games reminds me so much of movie called Death Race. The plot of the movie includes prisoners whose fight to the death for freedom, is televised. It is very amazing to me what we find as entertaining. I am guilty of being a reality television addict of many shows that I would not participate in, however the excitement and drama that is displayed in the lives of others' is actually amusing to me. Even with my love for reality television, I do not see any entertainment or satisfaction in watching another person fight for his or her life. My cut off point for reality television, being too realistic is when another human's life is jeopardized for another person's entertainment. I am a person that loves to read. I can very easily compile the words off a page and see images in my mind as if I am watching a movie. Katniss is the character that really stuck out to me from the Hunger Games. From my experiences when watching reality television , it is always interesting to find out the character or people and knowing what they are really thinking. It is not very hard to decipher the moments of when a person in a reality show is fully aware and guarding themselves with the camera around versus the moments when the cameras are forgotten.... ... middle of paper ... ...show that comes to mind when thinking of the risks that people would take with their lives to entertain and the high interest of viewers to witness such. The reality game show, Wipeout, is one of the most dangerous displays of entertainment that I have seen since the show Jackass. One difference in between the two would be that Wipeout is a contest based reality show. The obstacles that the participants try to accomplish are manmade traps of injury. If a contestant happens to fall off a high ledge, how far his or her neck snatches back is almost unbearable to watch. I am sure that there are on site paramedics, but, why risk such a strain on a body, is what I often wonder? The ratings that these shows have can only provide an estimate of what our society is willing to allow on television. Only time will bring clarity to the extent our nation will go be entertained.

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