Reality Television and Narcissism and Mental Health
Folk who know me personally know that I really dislike is reality television. However, the recent state of programmes which celebrate people for simply being the child of someone moderately famous or rich I believe is unhealthy as well as a conduit for narcissism.
People all have some talents, but this does not mean that it is worthy of a television programme. Celebrating people for simply being related to someone rich can give people watching ideas which are not in their interests. Indeed, it is possible for people to develop a sense of self importance in accordance with what they are watching. Alternatively, it may set people up for failure in regards to their talents not being sufficient for fame.
Finally, programmes like this can also cause people to be dissatisfied with their lives which can lead to anxiety and depression. Now I am not saying that all reality television is bad or unhealthy, but I am saying that a constant focus on “reality” which is actually unreal is not a good thing. Drama, fantasy and scripted television is seen for what it is, make believe and a means of escapism. I suppose I would like to see more escapism and less bogus reality shows. I think we should encourage people to be their best, but to encourage that by false reality is not a good thing at all.
