G.E.H.R.K.E 7.22.04
By Andrew Gehrke


The television industry is getting out of hand. You can go out and buy a plasma screen the size of your wall if you have the cash. I myself own a decent sized big screen. It is bigger than some, smaller than others, but then again, we have a big family, and what we had did not cut it. That and we, like most American families, live in front of the television. I spend more of my life in front of the computer, but I digress. You have the outrageous screen, outrageous home theatre systems that rock the foundation of your house, and, most importantly, the outrageous television shows - things like sitcoms, soaps, and worst of all reality television.

It seems that reality television is just a play on peoples' emotions and attitudes towards security, insecurity, and privacy. As reality shows increase in number and popularity they produce more outlandish plots, and in turn, the people watching become more insecure, or on occasion more secure, with themselves and their privacy. Reality television makes its money from our own secret fears and interests.

More frequently than ever, our inner voyeurs are escaping and catching the latest Real World or Fear Factor. This is happening because television networks know that secret voyeurs are out there and enjoy getting a look at breasts, be they smudged out or barely visible through a mud-laden t-shirt. Due to this onslaught of “look at me” television, voyeurism is becoming more acceptable. These shows pose as a weak version of pornography encouraging you to “use your imagination.”. However, I cannot even take a gander on the web and see similar exhibitionism without having to offer up a credit card number. Beyond that, you take a look at the big controversy over the Super Bowl, and Janet Jackson’s breast coming right out for the world to see. Is that so bad? Is a single nipple with a little star ring around it so very wrong when you can turn to MTV or HBO and see nipples poking through wet, white shirts if not stay up a couple more hours to see prime-time porn? Yet, people wonder why sex has become so much more popular amongst the youth today than it was in previous generations. People are curious as to why their darling sweet children are getting AIDS and other STDs. If they would turn off the television and play a board game, I am sure there wouldn’t be much more of a problem in a slightly distant future.

Also - the makeover-reality shows help viewers with their emotional distresses caused by physical insecurities. They see people far worse off than them getting surgery done to look slightly better. They realize that they do not need such a drastic change in their life to make a drastic difference in their appearance. In the reverse perspective, viewers see relatively normal people who change, and figure "they're doing it, and I look worse than them. I NEED it." So now the plastic surgery industry’s business is booming because people are dishing out outrageous amounts of money to get a new ass. These shows, like The Swan and what else have you, only play further in to teen-image-problems. It’s not bad enough that advertisements have these beautiful women flaunting around in almost see-through undergarments (I personally am not complaining), but now, girls who are on the edge of anorexia or bulimia see what they could become when they grow up, and all the pain they must go through to change. Then they take a dip over the edge, spilling in to the world of “finger sandwiches” and plain ol’ not eating.

"But Andrew," you might say, "there's no harm if we just go off and watch good, wholesome channels like Nick, or Disney Channel." Well, Billy, you're wrong. Turns out, even Disney's hopped on the Reality-TV-Band-Wagon, and they had hopped on a long time ago. I want to say this summer was their fifth season of a show called Bug Juice, but I'm unsure how long the show has been running. Nevertheless - the show is about a bunch of kids at camp - real kids, real camp, real counselors. These kids go through real problems - girls, guys, fears, self-consciousness. It does not seem that bad. I've watched some of it for... uh... research? I didn't mind it too much. I thought it was slightly entertaining at parts, even though it is more wholesome than other reality television shows, it is still reality TV. It is training kids to enjoy this kind of crap. The show came on at around three or four. That is prime get-off-your-ass-and-do-something-outside-time.

I do not mean to sound as if I despise television. My higher-deity knows, as well as all my friends, that I have watched plenty of the boob-tube. For the boobs, as well as the less sexually exciting parts of the multi-media world. I just despise reality television. That does not mean I do not watch it, but I still despise it.

It is a hard world out there, and it can be that much harder if you have spent your life with your ass plopped down in front of the tube. Get up - get out - “go play” as Nickelodeon says. Of course, I am a hypocrite. I am sitting in a dark room typing this, and will probably go play a computer game until my mother ejects me from the chair, but I get out. I work out. I go out. I am probably better off for it too, because I do not live by a TV. I live by a PC. It’s not the way to go, but it’s better. At least I do not question myself by comparing my body to models. I question myself by comparing my body to the bodies of other real people. But, whatever life people choose to lead, that is cool by me. I just do not think it is fair to them. That’s all.

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