Has TV made us too voyeuristic?

[zangie]

Personally, I don't watch any, both because I don't find humiliation and embarrassing people entertainment, ( I'm on e of those people that get embarrassed for the person ) or back stabbing, duplicity etc fun either...while I admit I could be guilty of the "car crash" thing on occasion, I really hate watching people deliberately putting themselves in positions you couldn't pay me enough money to do, for fame or money, because they are demeaning, or, at least callous...

I agree with eye ( wow...will wonders never cease..lol) as in I think it has made some behaviors more socially acceptable than they should be..I think we have become overexposed to things that really aren't positive or good...and I think discretion and politeness are being drummed out of our social behavior...it's like anything goes...though far fetched, it reminds me of some sci fi stories that comment on society going in a less human direction...like " marathon man", or soylent green"...where will it end? Some people keep pushing the envelope...and I worry more about how far it will go, then where it is now...

[Humphrey Osmond]

Yup, there's nothing new on the idiot box, ..."True Blood" is popular now, ....basically a more "raw" updated "Dark Shadows", ....which came out in '66.

Television, ...not a big fan really, it started out as news, game shows, wrestling and TV preachers....

Not much has changed.

TV could have been an amazing leap of progress for the human condition, ...instead, ...it turned into a parasite/host-host/parasite symbiote loop.

Television isn't just just a celebration of mediocrity, ...but it's best pandemic vector yet.

Too bad,

...the internet started out with promise too, ...net neutrality is more than just a catch-phrase, ...it's the best "dumb-proofing" we have ever seen, ....I'll mourn its passing.

[ItsMargo]

Nope

Sorry, but you're not quite right here. Survivor was summer programming and VERY low production costs for the network. (I'm in this business BTW)

Here's a link that should explain it:
http://flowtv.org/2008/02/snaring-a-glo ... -survivor/

[Humphrey Osmond]

Nope

Sorry, but you're not quite right here.

Well, ...from the standpoint of "it's not new", ...he has a very valid point.

[Addy01]

Just to clarify, I too hate reality TV, I just found myself watching this programme the other day and it set me thinking.

As I watched I found myself squirming with embarassment as these people laid themselves open to the viewing public-it just felt wrong.


I've never watched "dating in the Dark" but whenever I see the trailers I again find it embarassing. Why would you want to get down and dirty not just with someone you don't know, but can't even see?

I agree with eye as in I think it has made some behaviors more socially acceptable than they should be..I think we have become overexposed to things that really aren't positive or good...and I think discretion and politeness are being drummed out of our social behavior...it's like anything goes...

I completely concur. I do wonder that in the quest for their 5 minutes of fame and the TV companies quest for ever cheaper programmes, just how many of their personal standards/moral code people are prepared to forgo.

[Roxy127]

I've never watched "dating in the Dark" but whenever I see the trailers I again find it embarassing. Why would you want to get down and dirty not just with someone you don't know, but can't even see?

Huh? That sounds err "interesting"....
Is it about total strangers bonking in the dark,hehehe

Has anyone seen "Temptation Island"??
Couples,all young & beautiful are separated and taken to live on separate islands with 20 members of the opposite sex to "test their faithfulness".
Its voyeuristic,cruel and rates its socks off !

[ItsMargo]

Well, ...from the standpoint of "it's not new", ...he has a very valid point.

LMAO, he does have a point, hence the "not quite right".

[Addy01]

Roxy, from what I can gather from the trailers for DITD, two people are put in a pitch black room and proceed to have a "date".

At the end of it the lights go up and they finally get to see one another. What amazes me (and I will admit it's probably the way the trailers are edited), is that in that first date (because the thing is filmed with infra red camera's for the viewer), they start getting VERY touchy feely, snogging etc and some of them even get as far as removing items of clothing etc (and I'm not talking taking off their cardigan ).

I can't understand why anyone would want to do that??? And when the lghts go up they all seem bitterly disappointed in what they see...which kind of shoots the "I like people for their personality first and not looks" argument rightout of the water

[eyeofthecamera]

There was a student who about four years ago did a paper on the show Big Brother, and found out that virtually all of the participants in that show were nothing more then out of work actors. One of the other reality shows (no not the surreal life) was the same. Some were even using fake stage names, but they were all outed after it went public in the British media.

People are simply so stupid that they belief that shows like Big Brother or Survivor are not entirely scripted.

The fellow who does Survivor let it slip in fact several years back in an talk show interview when emotions got high in a debate about a participant who was burned on the set. The producer guy from Survivor was asked why didnt the crew put down their cameras to help the burn victim. The Producer said that if any of the crew had done that he would be fired. When I saw that interview I vowed never ever watch one of those stupid shows (not that I watched them before).

[HannaSolo]

I don't disagree about the creepy factor in the viewing of some high-profile reality TV shows. But I think the genre is much like any other type of entertainment in one way: some I wouldn't watch for love nor money, and some I enjoy. That goes for everything - comedies, dramas, mysteries, musicals, documentaries.

I stumbled across a reality show a few weeks ago called Extreme Jobs (or maybe Extreme Careers) and the episode I watched was about a family whose business is blowing up stuff (you know, when they "implode" structures without damaging the surrounding buildings). I'm not ashamed to say it was fascinating. I'd watch more episodes of that with different jobs if I happen upon the show again. There's also a show I've seen a few times where a contractor comes in to fix really bad renovation projects. Yes, the people are a bit humiliated because they were scammed or just paid for shoddy workmanship, but the contractor guy isn't going out of his way to make them feel bad. They feel bad, well, because that's natural. That's a very good show, and even though I don't think it means I could do my own (big) renos, I sure know more about what to watch out for if I'm ever having it done.