Ordinary Eve
Now I don't want to moan but....is there ever going to be an end to reality tv?
Surely I can't be alone in my utter hatred of this useless, self-serving, voyeuristic, exploitative junk!
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not one of these mad purists who thinks that television should only be about edifying the old and crumbly of our great country with terrible "educational" programmes like Country File and Animal Hospital (viewers of which are, quite frankly, sick). However, the very fact that a bunch of sad nutters will put themselves forward to have their every knicker adjustment and nose pick displayed in glorious technicolor on our screens should automatically disqualify them from ever taking part in any television...ever.
Mind-numbing
Dr Raj Persaud -psychologist lite for the likes of Marie Claire and Cosmo - penned an intelligent piece in The Independent about the slack protections that exist around reality tv shows for ensuring that vulnerable people are not involved, or that if they are they are counselled effectively.
He highlighted the case of 17 year-old Carina Stephenson who spent four-months with her family iin the Australian bush filming a reality tv show, The Colony. Although she was said to be "happy and positive" about the experience, not long after her return she killed herself.
Nobody is saying that simply being on a reality tv show is enough to make you take your own life. But this was a girl who was obviously vulnerable. She had recently been questioning her sexuality, a difficult time for anyone going through that. Being under the camera all day every day is not a helpful circumstance for such life changing decisions.
Dr Persaud was quite clear in his condemnation of the types of support offered to participants in these shows.
Soul vacuum
But it is not only that these things may be being run irresponsibly it is that their whole principle is flawed. These shows pander to the very worst character traits of both participants and viewers.
Participants largely take part because they want to be famous. They don't want to be a singer...and become famous. They don't want to be an actor...and become famous. They just want to be famous. Why?
Rich racist
Because they think it will make them happy and rich. Well, Jade Goody is certainly rich but can you think of anything any of the other participants of Big Brother in that year has achieved recently? Me either. And at what prices? The whole of great Britian gagging over her "kebab" and hating her as a racist that's what price!
Viewers love the shows because we all love to be superior. We wouldn't go on that show, we wouldn't wear what they wear, Oh my goodness did you see that dreadful girl on the other night! It goes on.
Everyone is badly behaved
These shows make it ok for both participants and viewers to behave badly. They reward you for being a bitch, being selfish, being self-obsessed. That is the exact opposte of what Christianity is about. We all want privelleges without responsibilities - fame without hard work and talent, moral superiority without care and concern for the people we are busy looking down on.
When are we finally going to switch off? When we can find a replacement for our non-thinking, exploitative, selfish addiction. God alone knows what that will be.
