About three years ago, even though it’s been around for 18 seasons, I started watching "Big Brother". I’m not a huge fan of reality television; in fact, I only watch reality TV when I want to de-stress. I especially refrain from keeping up with a reality TV show when I’m at school, but there’s something about "Big Brother" that keeps me coming back. When I was in high school, I read 1984, so I know part of the show is about “Big Brother is always watching,” but there is more to the show than just the audience watching over the houseguest.
The fascinating part about "Big Brother" is how it reflects human nature in a high-pressure, closed in, and competitive environment. There are usually 16 Houseguests, the houseguest is chosen, given a “key” to the "Big Brother" house, and must agree to live in the house with 15 other strangers for the whole summer, for a chance to win $500,000. Throughout the summer, there are Head of Household competitions, Power Veto competitions, and anonymous votes to evict house guest who get put on the “block.”
I guess what really fascinates me about this television show is how it closely it resembles the inner-workings of the political universe. Winning competitions, the whole time, is not going to win the game for you. It does help to hold power within the house, but if you’re constantly winning, and taking out favorable houseguest, you’re just creating a bigger target for yourself in the future. As a political candidate, it’s always better to hold a higher power in office, but what you do with the power, and how you act after making a move that can shake up the country, is important to your favorability ratings. If you are one of the last two houseguests in "Big Brother", and your favorability ratings among the other houseguest who remain in the Jury house are low, then there is less of a chance of you winning the whole thing.
To me, "Big Brother" is more about the mental and social game. After watching my third season, I’ve realized that people who win are usually the nicest people in the house and friends with almost everyone, even if you may not be in an alliance with that person. They also aren’t afraid to make big moves, but do it in a way that doesn’t make people anger. This can usually be done by using a “friend” or “alliance member” to do the dirty work for them, so it doesn’t look like they took a part in the eviction process.
When politicians go in for committee meetings or vote on certain issues, they always have to know who their friends are and who their enemies are, and how favorable the issues they are discussion is with their constituents. This is what the houseguests in "Big Brother" are thinking about whenever they make a decision that will help further them in the game. Being a political science major, I always said I never wanted to be a politician, but I would love to be involved with the behind-the-scenes action. "Big Brother" provides the same effect: I know through player’s diary rooms or secret meetings with alliance members, what is coming next, even though the other houseguests may not. In a way, "Big Brother" gives me an inside look on what my future in the political process looks like. So even if it is reality TV, I feel like everyone can learn a lesson about human nature, by watching the show, and I guess, how social and mental strategy play a part in how politics work in America.
