Reality TV is all the rage right now, from ‘Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-up Star’ to ‘Catfish’ to ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, it’s a guilty pleasure watching the drama of these very real individuals unfold before our digital screens. But is this because we are sadists? Or do we just enjoy real-life dramas that are more often than not, waaaay better than fiction?
Reality TV gives us a much-needed break from our own reality
When we watch contestants get yelled at in ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ (especially when Chef Ramsay whips out his hilarious insults) it’s hard not to feel at least a little bit entertained. Or when we see people on ‘Catfish’ find out that the person they are dating doesn’t even exist, maybe our own breakup hurts a little less in comparison.
We empathise and develop an attachment to the stars
We watch their struggles from episode to episode, and we develop such a connection to them that we begin rooting for them. Because just like us, these people began as ordinary people. And as they grow in the series, we also watch as their personalities shine a little bit more. We get to hear their backstories and about where they come from. We begin to identify with them and their motivations. Also, before we know it, we’ve gobbled up the entire season and are hitting play on the next one!
And deep down, let’s admit that we all have a little bit of that ‘nosy next-door-neighbour’ inside of us.
Being given a front-row seat on the lives of other people makes us feel a little snoopy, but not when it is completely legal and consensual!
There is also the fear of missing out, propelling us to constantly look around the room at what everyone else is doing — but hey, don’t be! You do you. Who cares what everyone else is doing!
Just be sure to keep your own reality under control before you immerse yourself into others’!
*Cover image via MTV
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