Reality TV?

If "Reality Tv" is not an oxymoron, I don't know what is. Even when I watched TV, I never liked the so-called reality shows. Ok, with the exception of one season of the Biggest Loser. I watched it hoping it would inspire me in my own battle of the bulge. And of course, Dancing with the Stars. But I never really considered that a reality show. It's more of a contest, don't you think?

At any rate, hearing people talk about various reality shows today started me wondering. Why do people like these shows so much? Isn't it strange to think that only ten short years ago, these types of shows were virtually unheard of, and now they propagate the television landscape like noxious weeds. You can hardly find a good old sitcom these days. Why do we like to see this mess of people's pain and humiliation served up night after night? Are we so insecure that seeing other people fail and struggle is the way we feel better about our own flailing tribulations? I'm sorry if you are a big fan of Big Brother and the lot. But if you are, I really would like to know: What do you like about it? What is so entertaining about it? And what do you think it says about our society?

Personally, I would be embarrassed for someone from another country to see one of these shows and base their idea of what American life is like on one. In my opinion, they would see the worst of us-our greed, our promiscuity, our shallowness, our cruelty, our most base nature. Frankly, reality tv makes me very glad that I gave up TV! I know I can find much more uplifting things to occupy my time. And I am.

And that concludes my rant for this evening!  ;-)