I’m not without awareness that my recent posts may have perhaps been unduly introspective. I’m reminded too that my mother always taught me that it was selfish and wrong to only think of myself and that I should also think of others.
So, this post is about what I think of others, specifically, others of the type that are featured in a certain sub-genre of reality TV programming.
I don’t even know the names of most of these shows. I’ve only caught bits and pieces of them while practicing the manly art of rapidly changing TV channels with the remote. So, these comments are based more upon general observation than research.
The shows of which I’m writing characteristically features several youngish, style-conscious women who are competing for the attention of one man (like “The bachelor”) on up to the whole world (something about a next model). Another variety is more focused on one particular woman (“Bridezilla”). Women with the worst of character seem to be reserved for display on MTV.
I cannot figure out what the point of these shows is. Why do networks produce them? Is there that much demand for programming featuring self-absorbed, unappreciative social-climbers plying their wiles?
Do the featured women realize the way many of them come off to the public? Here’s how they look to me: Selfish, immature, jealous, whiny, petulant, demanding, narcissistic beyond belief, false and emotionally manipulative. On the MTV shows you can add sluttish and frequently-drunk to the list.
In the face of all this is the astonishing level of qualification they think to demand of the men whom they expect to charm. “He has to have money, of course – oh, and he should drive a ‘hawt’ car.
Are all the good men really already taken or are they being scared off by what they see on these shows? I can’t imagine that very many men view the women on these shows and think, Yeah, that’s what my life’s been missing. I should probably think about the married life. More likely would they see the message as, I should probably think about running for my life. Perhaps these shows are meant to be educational in that regard. If that’s the case then they should be on PBS and have voice-over narration.
As mentioned earlier, I don’t watch these programs very far into the presentations as they tend to induce the gag reflex in me and start to reverse the direction of flow in the upper alimentary canal, so, it is a possibility that I might be missing something. Perhaps they have a pie fight every now and then to show that none of these women are serious.
On the other hand, if they are serious and are that desperately craving the attention of others, they really should find a more dignified way to satisfy their longings like, oh, I don’t know, starting a blog or something.
