Ever notice how quick we’ll complain about nothing being on
television other than reality TV shows, but somehow, you happen to watch one of
these highly popular shows?
Wonder why?
Perhaps it’s our human nature to watch others suffer more
than ourselves?
Naw – you say – I’m not that sort of person.
Wanna bet?
Ever rubberneck?
Rubberneck. You know – when you slow down while driving or
walking past an accident on the highway or road, to see what’s going on?
Everyone rubbernecks. So much so, many local governments
have enacted anti-rubbernecking laws, so that people don’t stop too long and
hold up traffic while passing accidents on local roadways.
Rubbernecking is a lot like watching reality TV – or at
least the psychology behind them is identical.
Life is full of challenges. We all have our highs and our
lows. That’s the way it goes.
However, scientists tell us we naturally take comfort in
knowing we’re not alone in our lives. Not just the hugs, kisses and affection
of loved friends and family – though that helps.
One of the most common complaints patients suffering from
depression complain of, is a lack of fitting in with society. According to
studies, these people delve deeper into depression’s ugly grips because they’ve
cut themselves off from the outside world, and don’t see others going through
life’s many challenges.
It’s not that we naturally feel better by the worse fates of
others, instead, we’re comforted knowing we are not alone in our struggles to
exist, and live meaningful lives.
So even though we all complain about reality TV, in some
ways its therapeutic – which is why we all watch reality TV.
Now if only we could find something therapeutic in another
format of television, to rid the world once and for all of silly, pointless
reality TV.
Pass the remote control – it’s time for my therapy.
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