by Laurie Childree

Created on: May 26, 2007   Last Updated: January 04, 2009

People watch soap operas for a variety of reasons. Among the reasons to watch is the need to escape the dreariness of everyday life. The same routine day in and day out with no chance for surprise can lead to extreme boredom for some people. Boredom can lead to all sorts of strange things.

Here in the real world we go day to day, in soap opera time you go from infant to full grown in six to ten years. The latest news is always easy to spread and you don't have to worry about letting anyone's secrets out. You can find new friends that share the same interest in shows that you do. It will give an outlet to discuss during those awkward moments when you don't want to discuss your own lives.

When you watch on a regular basis you know who is going to end up with whom. You can predict where the story line is going and it feels good to be right. It gives us a sense of being able to see the future. There are characters we love and then there are the ones we love to hate. You begin to develop your own world in which to escape and the characters tend to feel like family to you.

People watch soap operas to go to an alternative reality where people really live the good life. Money solves a lot of their problems and they don't worry where the money is coming from. There the rags to riches stories that make us think if only for a moment that we can find a brighter light to ensure our future success.

Escaping from reality is a large part of watching soap operas; the escape is easy simply turn the television on and sit down. These people for some become a replacement family. The happy moments and the sad moments both touch them deeply. Each new baby is a party and every party makes us imagine dressing up in the finest of clothes to enjoy a night out on the town among family and friends.

The made up tragedies sometimes make us feel bad for them but better about our own lives. It gives others something to talk about besides our own personal tragedy. Where else can you have someone die and be brought back to life? When writers decided to bring someone back they either neatly or not so neatly explain that the person was always alive. The circumstances that lead to their untimely death were not as you originally thought. This is a plus. So get the rest of the family involved in watching.

People watch soap operas as a means of escape and a means to connect on some level with these people that have become a part of their lives.

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