Moderation

I do watch TV. I watch it afterschool as something to do while I relax. I also have certain shows that I keep up with. The shows I keep up with the most are Army Wives, Pretty Little Liars, Jerseylicious, Jersey Shore, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Amazing Race, What Not to Wear, and Ninja Warrior. Looking at that list, consisting of my favorite shows, I realize that five out of eight are related to drama. Army Wives is the #1 TV drama for women; Pretty Little Liars is a drama/mystery show for teens; and Jerseylicious, Jersey Shore, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians are all reality shows, which, of course, are made up of drama. I wish I could explain the appeal of a drama or reality show, especially to women. Maybe I like watching them because I like helping people with their problems, and those shows consist of many social problems that I enjoy analyzing and seeing progress. Many people would argue that reality shows in particular are a bad influence on the minds of people who watch them because most people on those shows do not behave appropriately. I would actually agree with this statement. I think that when people watch others drinking, partying, being promiscuous, and acting pugnacious on TV, it either directly makes the viewer want to do it, or subconsciously makes them think it’s normal or okay. On the other hand, I think that if the viewer is set on what they know is right and watch these shows purely for entertainment, it’s okay to watch them. What Not to Wear is an informative show, although predominantly watched by women. However, the last two are competition shows – The Amazing Race and Ninja Warrior – which any age or gender could enjoy equally. TV should be used in moderation like everything else. Watching an hour of TV everyday will not hurt you, but it can’t interfere with your life. Television is a way to communicate a sense of other people’s lives, real or made up, but we can’t forget that we have our own lives to live.