by Niel de la Rouviere

Created on: January 18, 2009

Reality Television is pure genius. It yanks on the tendons of all humans to escape from the world they are trapped in. It is inherent in human nature to want to be better, faster, stronger and more famous. Every one wants attention, thus reality television takes that penultimate human fascination - stardom - to a place right inside your living room.

Celebrities are often out there in a place that seems so far-fetched, out of touch of a normal person, thus when reality television started it showed people; average people. This created a sense of awe and empathy with the people involved in reality television. It might as well be you participating in that challenge to immunity.

The feuds, the rewards and hardships are all real and not scripted. This unscripted nature of the reality television is what brings viewers back time and time again. This impulsive nature that many yearn for is satisfied as this seemingly random show unfolds: anything could happen, Mary could get ill, James could sing a bad note and Reggie and Polly might hit it off. The zeitgeist surrounding these shows, especially popular entertainment oriented ones such as Idols, is fundamental to kitchen tea discussions when real-life gossip runs out. It is so real. Almost a part of your life.

Reality television provides a life like yours, only just on television. This is why it makes such good topics of discussion. Voting shows such as Idols and So You Think You Can Dance, are great examples of this. It is almost as if it is a small country running for your vote.

In this cookie-cutter celebrity world, reality television is fresh. Your average person can have their fifteen minutes of fame and this is only fueled on by popular Web 2.0 sites, such as Youtube, that promote this claim to fame culture. The celebrities are now not only ones out there and untouchable anymore, you can now be in their seat and be on television. You can fast track your way to stardom. This fascination is why people still watch reality television. Millions of hopefuls try their hand at reality television, hoping to be the next Kelly Clarkson.

Peter Weir's The Truman Show, which showcased Jim Carrey's whole life as a 24 hour reality television show, is ultimately why people enjoy reality television. They are voyeurs, a fly on the wall and they comment on other people who are real and escape from their own reality to ones that play out on television.

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