Yesterday, I strolled into the family room, only to be subjected to my adolescent sister watching an episode of the Kardashians. In this riveting episode, the girls were discussing clothes and the size of their respective bottoms. My sister was so immersed in the show, that she didn't hear me come up from behind her. I pointed out to her that these people had no real talent, and basically were boring and innocuous. She took personal offense to my remarks and pointed out that they were nice people.

When did reality TV take over our culture? It has obviously been in the last decade. As a child, I do not recall anything like this. When did people start to believe that they actually know television characters? Have these people taken the place of our friends?

What is striking to me is the fact that most of these shows track the moments of daily living. If your neighbor were to drone on about this type of thing, you'd be bored to death. At first I thought it must be their wealth, yet how does that explain the rise of Honey Boo Boo? When did watching a family go to Walmart become entertainment? Is it the bizarreness of some of these people?

My mother speaks about a time when television consisted of live comedy, shows about history and the arts, and movies. Granted, you still can find these kinds of television, but they do not come close to matching the popularity of reality television. So, it seems that what appeals to the masses is the most basic, mindless entertainment. If we are living our lives through other people, then what does that say about our own lives and the time lost while watching other people discuss how their butts look in certain outfits?

So, what will the next great trend be? Will we find a way to get to an even lower level, or will the next generation rebel and turn to something more productive, engaging, and valuable to society, like creating something original? I think I could draw a picture of a dog, have it turn out more like a cow, then throw it away, and it would still be a better use of my time than watching the Kardashians, because at least I put an ounce of thought into that picture. What does this say about our intellect? Is this the demise of our culture as we know it? Only time will tell.