My Cup of Tea: Reality TV

I know what a lot of you may be thinking but bear with me. Reality TV does not have the best reputation. It is known for being anything but real, but this is one of my favorite types of television shows, and the reasons why might surprise you.

I don’t get to watch much TV these days, it used to be a way that I would unwind after a very long day, but lately, life has been too busy, and I only get to watch TV shows a few times a week. I am open to all kinds of TV shows, but my absolute favorites are reality, documentaries, and comedies.

Reality television is truly a guilty pleasure of mine. Many people will tell you that these types of shows are staged and scripted and while some of that may be true, I do believe that a lot of reality shows have at least some unscripted scenes because the emotions are well beyond what any actress or actor that I have seen can imitate.

I know that reality TV isn’t the greatest and most positive influence, but I am hooked on it, nonetheless. I have always been a very deep observer; I take in my surroundings and the people in them. I have a very Psychology-driven mind where I am very curious about the behavior of others and why people’s minds work the way that they do. Reality TV allows me to observe the behavior of others in a natural setting versus movies and soap operas.

I enjoy seeing raw and honest communication between people. I like to feel and see deep emotions in others and see what is beyond the surface level. I thrive on picking up communication skills as I watch what works and doesn’t work for the cast members of my favorite reality shows.

We can learn so much from sitting back and observing the behavior of others and we can apply what we have learned to our own lives. Watching true-life situations unfold is a huge learning experience for us. One can observe how a certain situation or conversation unfolds. Not only are we able to recognize what is verbally said, but also the nonverbal communication that is present. This is the body language, tone of voice, eye contact, and facial expressions to name a few.

Watching any sort of TV is a great way to relax and unwind, I would choose a reality show over a scripted show any day. I enjoy thinking that I am watching something true and something that happened. Knowing that a show is staged takes away a lot of the joy in my opinion. It is nice to see other people going through life, seeing others in situations that we have been in helps us feel less alone, it helps us see that even though we may all be from different walks of life, we are all the same inside.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been deeply fascinated by human behavior and the human mind. This hasn’t changed a bit today; in fact, it has only become an even bigger interest of mine. I am not quite sure how I became so interested in this, but I suppose it’s because human behavior is very complex, no two people are the same. I find it fascinating how are all live such very different lives and see life in many ways, yet we all belong to the human race!