Sunday, January 29, 2012

Did Anyone Learn Anything From "The Truman Show" Movie?

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BACKGROUND INFO :
(You can skip this section if you've already seen this.)
 "The Truman Show" is a 1998 movie that focuses on the fake life of an originally-unaware man named Truman Burbank. The world in which he lives in and believes to be real is actually a tremendous studio with hidden cameras everywhere. Also, all of the people around him are actually actors who are just just playing roles on what only they know to be the world's most popular television series, "The Truman Show". In the movie, Truman has been the star of the show ever since his birth, however, he never chose to be a star in the first place. Everything changes, though, when he accidentally bumps into a catering area backstage and becomes severely suspicious of what his life really is. This movie takes you through the journey of the sickening reality of reality television. 
(It's also a really good movie.)
If you would like to read more about this movie, click
Here.
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 IN RELATION TO REALITY TELEVISION TODAY : 
There is no doubt that reality television has become a highly popular and glorified genre of television in American entertainment today. But did anyone learn anything from the message of this movie? The concept is certainly not new, but has the concept grow to become more socially acceptable now in 2012 than back in 1998 when the movie was first released?
Reality television is defined as the supposedly unscripted documentation of the lives of those willing to have their lives filmed; however, some don't seem to realize that reality television is almost entirely scripted. But as this movie attempts to illustrate, it is unnatural for one's life to be documented solely for the entertainment of an audience. 
So why do people do it?
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 JESSICA SAYS :
Reality television is one of the many topics I like to give my honest opinion about, especially since I greatly disapprove of the concept. You can and should expect to later see posts about specific reality television shows currently very popular in American entertainment, especially since I never truly understood why and how people are so willing to sell their privacy and script their lives solely for money, fame, and self-promotion. I also never quite understood how people willingly choose to sit on their couch and watch the "lives" of others instead of living their own.

I am not saying that these audience members are mindless sheep, but I don't understand the interest in such a form of entertainment that is created for the sickening self-chosen exploitation of personal lives. How exactly is that entertaining? And yet, such exploitations are obsessed about and desired by the American public, still.
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TO THE READERS:
  • Do any of you religiously watch certain reality television shows and if so, which ones do you watch and why? 
  • Why do you think those who "star" on reality TV are so willing to sell their privacy and freewill?  
  • Can you really put a price on the value of your freedom? 
  • What do you think those from other countries assume about American culture, knowing that reality television is glorified here?
~xxj

5 comments:

Alex Wood said...

You mean 1998. Yeah, I think reality TV is stupid and ridiculous. It's highly unfortunate.

xNina Writes said...

Alex Wood,
Thank you for the date correction. I seemed to have missed that when proofreading. And I agree!
~xxj

Mike Rolland said...

I fail to see the interest in reality television. I tried watching "The Jersey Shore" and within ten minutes I felt as though my brain was slowly dying. I have questioned how other countries view our society based these shows and I feel as though they may feel that we are a bunch of idiots.

Sadly, reality television is about as fake as a comic book hero. Most of these shows are scripted and give false view of American life. These shows are nothing more than a pathetic attempt to gain fame and money while rapidly reducing creativity and originality.

Anonymous said...

I agree that reality television is absolutely absurd. I believe the reason people obsess over it though is because it is being drenched in ridiculous drama, and we all know how people love drama.

xNina Writes said...

Mike Rolland,

I have never watched "The Jersey Shore" but I don't need to to know that it's mind-numbing entertainment. I can only wonder what other countries think of America knowing that a large number of people glorify this type of entertainment.

Anonymous,

Haha that's very true that people love drama. I'm sure if these shows weren't scripted and the "cast" were told to just go about their daily lives like normal, that show would last perhaps only a few episodes. Gotta love excessive drama.