An 'Unreality Show'

Since we have made an agreed effort to cut back on frivolousness before we actually need to, our cable now offers only twelve channels. And because a third of them are prime time, they leave a lot to be desired. So, we have found ourselves watching, if only in part, shows we would not otherwise view. Shows which have been tagged as "Reality".

This past Monday night, while my husband had found a 'guy movie' on CW, and having finished the novel I was reading, I decided to check in to see who Ali, the latest Bachlorette, had done away with. In the process of eliminating all but four, she was sitting down with a parent of one of the remaining contestants. The father asked Ali, "what are your dreams, your life goals?".

Now, this man seemed to put his family first and reaped a beautiful relationship with all of them because of it. So, I'm thinking he anticipated Ali to want the same for his son and herself. I watched his face slowly fall as she excitedly told him, "Well, my job is my dream! I want to have my own business and be at the very top of my field!". "But Ali", the father continued, "my son wants the very same thing. What are you willing to sacrifice from your dream in order for the two of you to raise children together and have a happy marriage?". Ali winced and said, "I just feel if we both are able to fulfill our own dreams, everything will work out and everyone will be happy!" She avoided the question altogether, and I dare say, by the father's question, the son would most likely do the same.

Reality? Au contraire! As my husband said, "They need to rename those shows 'Unreality'!" How true! I've not watched all of these Bachelor/Bachelorette shows, but the ones I've seen appear to have a 'winner takes all' mentality. What does that have to do with a commitment to marriage?

If I'm correct, all but one couple have gone their separate ways after the flame of televised romance dies out. And when the music comes to a halt, center stage is no longer there, and the outlandish accommodations of world-wide trips are gone, what's left? Reality. A real person and all their baggage standing before one another with the the same questions looking back at them. Gone are the unrealistic settings which make a young heart feel it will be that way forever. What enters is one more attempt at a successful relationship based on entertaining the public. Unless one has a very determined heart, and willing to set aside a part of their individual desires, I don't see much future in such a setting.

It would be nice to imagine the final episode containing a beautiful young couple with equal dreams for a successful marriage, and a willingness to work together to achieve their goals. But there is a part of me which suspects we'll be seeing the latest couple on the cover of one of those magazines that our eyes catch while waiting in the grocery line. All the blame and reasons they just couldn't make it as a couple revealed for, once again, the entertainment of the public. I hope it's worth it to them. This big chunk of themselves they've allowed to be opened for all to see.

Of course I hope it works for them. After all, many a young girl's heart is just waiting for the same fairy tale to happen to them as they watch this 'unrealistic courtship' take place. But maybe it's a good thing they see that televised romance doesn't work. If nothing else, it's a tool for a very wise parent to step in with all the reasons not to expect the same.

So, we shall see what the conclusion is in the next couple of weeks. Be aware of the stars which will be in the eyes of the young followers as they innocently build their expectations off of Ali's choice. Then again, at least it's not as unrealistic as falling in love with a vampire! But that's another story.

Always~
Cha