Whether you're a guy or a girl, OK mainly a girl, I’m sure you’ve watched your fair share of reality television. For example, while I write my article now, I’m watching MTV The Challenge. Whether you like to watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians, an MTV reality show, or The Amazing Race, a good amount of what we watch happens to be reality shows. According to statistics on Wordpress.com, 67 percent of television is reality television. That number is surprised me; what is it about reality television that captivates us? Why is it our guilty pleasure, and 67 percent of what’s aired on our television? I find this to be interesting, which is why I have developed theories on why I believe people love to watch reality television.
- It’s entertaining: Obviously this is a given. People love to watch reality TV because of the drama, the crazy cliffhangers, and the entertainment it brings to the TV. It’s a guilty pleasure for a reason.
- It’s real but it’s fake: Knowing that someone may go off the handles and act crazy for no reason is part of what’s so entertaining, whether you choose to believe that the producers played a part in the crazy drama or not is up to you, but honestly, that’s half of the fun.
- It’s easy to relate to: I find that it’s easier to relate to a real person and the problems that they face in life, emphasis on the “some” -- a life of a Kardashian is hard to relate to; however, you can relate to the sister drama sometimes more so than to a character who works in a hospital as a kick-ass surgeon or to an FBI agent who fights crimes on the daily.
- There are so many options: When it comes to reality TV, there are various kinds. Whether you want a competition reality show, dancing reality show, the lives of the rich and wealthy, you have more than your fair share of options.
- They suck everyone in: Whether you’re a guy or a girl, old or young, reality TV has a way of sucking everyone in. This is partly because of the fact that there are so many options of what to watch when it comes to reality TV and partly because it just happens to make for good TV.
- It’s a good distraction: Whether you need a way to escape the stress of an exam or just don’t feel like dealing with the real world and adulating, reality TV is a good way to pass a couple of hours. This work whether you have nothing to do or a big exam coming up. It’s definitely a way to take your mind off of things.
- Gives you something/someone to root for: This point particularly is in regards to game shows, such as The Amazing Race, Survivor, and The Challenge. It gives you a team or person to root for and believe in, even when you don’t want to root for yourself sometimes.
