Why Do Reality Shows Fascinate Us?
Reality shows have become something extremely common in television programming in different countries. In almost every place they debuted, they had a huge success that wanes with time, until a new show, with the same format, takes its place.
On many occasions, reality shows have been classified as empty programs and even as “junk”, especially when they show, in the crudest way, the worst of human beings.
However, this did not cause the ratings to drop. Thousands of people remain completely fascinated by these types of programs, and enjoy them as a kind of “guilty pleasure”.
The realities began to appear in the 90s, but its true heyday occurred in the twenty-first century, along with the pre-eminence of virtual reality and focus fully in the “post-truth”.
The question is: What do these shows have to be able to attract such an audience and capture the attention of so many generations at the same time?
The protagonists of reality shows
The focus of reality shows is “broadcasting life live”, or at least that’s what they want the public to believe. To do this, they need, on the one hand, people who have no problem exposing their private life. Furthermore, in front of the screen, they need spectators who are interested in knowing the details of these private matters.
Every time applications for one of these programs are opened, thousands of people apply. The lines take up several streets. Those in charge of selection processes say these people have a common purpose: to take a radical turn in their lives. They believe that being on television is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Although, apparently, anyone can participate in a reality show, that’s not quite true. When recruiters select who will participate, they take into account certain desirable traits.
The most important thing is that the participant has some characteristic, whether physical, psychological or cultural, that is oversized. This type of program doesn’t need “ordinary” people.
The characteristics of viewers
Some experts point out that reality TV viewers or followers are basically of two types. Both have one characteristic in common: they are voyeurs .
That is, they like to look without being seen, especially the intimate aspects of others’ lives. However, this voyeurism is not equally motivated at all, and so there are two groups.
The first group is that of pure and hard eavesdroppers. They want to see others exposed in their greatest rawness, as this gives them a certain sense of power. Therefore, they sit in front of the television and behave as judges of human behavior. They are there to tell you how each one should behave.
The second group is the one who wants to compare themselves with the reality’s participants. It seeks to identify with some of them and is deeply committed to their defeats and victories.
Ultimately, they want to make their own fantasies come true in someone else’s body. What operates in this case is a projection mechanism ; they see themselves as part of the adventure.
the problematic aspects
A study published in Psychology Today highlighted that viewers become so involved in this type of program that they end up forming bonds with them that resemble those of an addiction. As with drugs, realities cause strong discharges of endorphins and, therefore, generate an addiction that can be classified as chemical.
In addition, the realities often create in the public the fantasy that they are also part of the plot. Often the audience can vote to eliminate or save a participant, and this creates an illusion of control.
However, spectators never cease to be spectators. They are witnesses to the lives of others, at the same time they stop living their own.
Hardly a reality show can offer more than a little entertainment or escape from reality. They are usually “scripted” or, at best, edited.
This means that they lack the spontaneity they promise to have: they falsify what happens to appeal to the audience’s most basic motivations. In short, they are not a good alternative to spend quality free time.
