Reality shows “simply are what they are”

Every time you turn on the television, are you always finding yourself watching a reality show or a preview for a reality show? Well that is because reality shows are everywhere. From watching the Jersey Shore bunch to the Kardashians, reality shows have taken over our lives.

The question is, is it healthy for teens to watch reality television and does it really benefit them? It seems like the only reason why people watch reality shows is because they are entertaining. The drama and plot of the shows pull people in and, because they are reality shows, they make the audience feel as if they were a part of all the action.

The name “reality show” speaks for itself: reality show — it means the show is real and authentic. However, that is not the case with most reality shows. Most reality shows are scripted and staged. For example, in the reality show The Hills after the show was over, one of the actors claimed that every single part of the show was staged and that they were just acting to a script that followed closely to their lives. Reality shows are often over the top and overly dramatic, and they make people think that that is actually what the characters’ lives are like.

One of the main reasons parents don’t like their kids watching reality shows is because they don’t think the shows truly reflect and depict the real world accurately. The shows shine a light on the negative causes in the world such as partying and drinking. However, I think parents should keep in mind that the purpose of reality shows is to entertain people.

Even though people simply watch reality shows for entertainment purposes, I think what a person watches also greatly affects a person’s opinion and view on the world. As much as people say they are not influenced by the things they see and the people they come into contact with, that is not true. The way a person acts is a reflection of what the person has gone through and experienced.

In conclusion, many parents don’t think reality shows are healthy for teens because they provoke bad behavior. Reality shows often highlight mistakes and troubles of a person instead of the positive things. However I don’t think reality show are all entirely fake; there are parts that are accurate and they do often show situations that can happen in real life as well. Therefore I don’t think reality shows are either healthy or unhealthy for teens. They simply are what they are, shows about people’s lives, just with some exaggeration.