I never cared for reality TV much. It’s probably because I like to watch something with more of a distinct purpose. I either want to fall in love with the characters or be enthralled by the plot. I watch TV to be sucked out of reality and into a world that is disguised as witty, humorous and relatable. I do not care to watch a TV show that consists primarily of bleeping out curse words because, let’s face it, there is nothing real about reality TV. Sometimes, it seems like these shows find a pool of the world’s greatest idiots, then they put their test subjects in an enclosed area with cameras and study their behaviors. There is nothing natural about that. Nothing genuine. Nothing witty. Nothing relatable. Nothing humorous. As I sit on my couch watching this diluted version of what slightly resembles TV, I can feel my brain losing cells. That’s how contagious the stupidity is.

Now, of course, some reality TV shows are worse than others. For instance, MTV tends to lean towards reality TV shows that result in a lot of swearing and then more swearing, and still to come on the next episode of not-really-reality-TV ... more swearing. The worst part is they aren’t even inventive about it. It would serve them well to expand their vocabulary, maybe invest in a dictionary. An eloquent insult would probably be more effective than yelling barbarically.

However, reality TV delivers its greatest disappointment in the fact that it is not reality. The reality of life is too bland for TV. It mostly consists of Netflix and eating and sleeping. About one-third of your life is spent asleep. You never see that on TV. It is impossible to capture reality in a 30- or 50-minute time frame. You'd need a lifetime. The important things that happen in reality happen in fragments that must be sewn together the same way cells sew a body or tar sews a driveway. That’s why it took 12 years to film the movie "Boyhood," because they wanted to make it as realistic as possible.

What is a life when cameras are constantly surrounding you anyhow? I never understood how a person could be themselves when they are constantly being suffocated with the pointing of media, the laughing of media, the bullying of media. It seems like enough to drive a person insane. As if Big Brother is really always watching.

Another reason why reality TV is not good TV is that it teaches bad behavior. Certain reality TV shows teach violence and binge-drinking or underage pregnancy (hmm ... what TV show could I possibly be referring to there?).

Shows like "The Bachelor" seem demeaning and sexist, which is why now there is also "The Bachelorette." Because apparently all human worth comes down to is your compatibility with some white guy or girl. (I looked up past bachelors, and there was a slight diversity problem: meaning the lack of any.)

Not to mention that reality TV encourages stereotypes. I forget who said it, but as a writer or an artist, you are supposed to tell people what they need to hear, not what they want to hear, because what they want to hear is already out there, it has already been said. It’s in commercials, and advertisements. It’s what we practice, even when we don't realize it. For instance, I did not know what Guido meant until "Jersey Shore" became popular. As someone who lives in New Jersey and is 100 percent Italian, I would like to say that Sammi Sweetheart is not an accurate representation of anything but herself, which I was suppose is true about everyone. You can only represent yourself. The problem is reality TV shows are usually angled to make people look bad and exasperate flaws, carving a label on their ethnicity or gender or status.

All and all some reality TV shows aren't all bad. For instance, "American Idol" encourages competition and following your dreams, as well as "So You Think You Can Dance" or "Dancing With the Stars" or "America’s Got Talent." Do these show also extort dramatic stories and tall tales about how a contestant’s evil stepmother would never let them sing or dance, but with the help of a fairy godmother the contestant found the way to the ball? Of course they do. However, most of the filming is when the contestants are on stage, which is a natural form of entertainment, and the other times in which contestants are shown is usually during interviews. The way the shows are set up is logical and more realistic than other forms of reality TV, it’s believable.

After much research on reality television, Google informed me that the most frequently mentioned shows on the web are "Survivor," "The Bachelor," "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," "American Idol," "The Bachelorette" and "The Real World." Do you think these TV shows have a negative impact? Are they diminishing human minds around the world? If so, close your eyes and shut your ears, or better yet, change the channel.