Vote totals:
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No:
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Neutral:
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DEBATE: ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
Popularity leads to confidence
If someone goes on a show like big brother and the public love them, they will clearly get a boost to their self-esteem – the approval of others is a key factor in self-confidence.
It could be argued, though, that to go on a reality show in the first place one must have a reasonable level of confidence already. So the show isn’t making people more confident it is just giving them a place to showcase their already strong character.
ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
The exposure on reality TV forces a level of self-acceptance
In everyday life we present a certain ‘face’ to those around us, not revealing everything about ourselves. Yet in the environment of a reality TV programme, there is nowhere to hide; not only are you often cooped up with the same group of people 24/7, but cameras capture aspects of your life that are normally private. You are often placed in high pressure situations with no opportunity to hide your emotional reactions. To be accepted ‘warts and all’ by people who have seen you arguably at your worst is the biggest complement there can be. It reinforces the idea that the ‘real’ you is perfectly acceptable and something to be proud of.
Far from self-acceptance, these brutal levels of exposure can lead to doubt and self-loathing. Watching the footage, people see aspects of themselves they never normally would; they are forced to see themselves drunk, argumentative, or looking dodgy first thing in the morning. Their image of themselves is shattered by the often ugly reality, which leads to poor self-esteem.
ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
Unpopularity can damage fragile self-esteem
Feeling disliked by others will always have a negative effect, whether on reality TV or in real-life situations. Being unpopular amongst your school mates is arguable a more damaging eventuality than being voted out of Big Brother. The fact that you were chosen to participate and have received any recognition at all should be enough to feed most people’ s egos; even ‘hate’ figures like original Big Brother baddie ‘Nasty Nick’ or 2007’s terrifying Charley achieve a kind of notoriety. They are people we ‘love to hate’; it is a perverse kind of public affection.
If, on the other hand someone goes on a reality show and is disliked by the general public, their morale, self-esteem and confidence may suffer as a result. If people don’t like you, you start to question why, and question yourself, and your confidence nose-dives.
ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
Transient fame is not the same as genuine popularity
Some reality TV stars go on to have long careers in the media, having been given the confidence and exposure by their initial experiences. Jane Macdonald, who’s career began on the Cruise Ship fly-on-the wall documentary, went on to have a Platinum album and now presents ITV’s Loose Women. Big Brother winner Brian Dowling has had a successful presenting career. Before her slightly disastrous return to Big Brother (a particularly exceptional case) Jade Goody had carved a very profitable career out of her appearance on reality TV.
While the approval and affection of your peers might be a confidence boost, the effect of having been on a reality show is very different. While for five minutes you might feel popular, in reality your new ‘celebrity’ status will isolate you from your real friends. When the public gets bored of you, or worse, the press becomes hostile towards you in search of a better story, it will be a crushing blow; you will have gained nothing and lost the sense of security you had before you became ‘famous.’
ARE REALITY SHOWS A CONFIDENCE BOOSTER FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS?
Popularity does not necessarily guarantee high self-esteem
Just because the public loves you, that does not mean that you will love yourself. Self-esteem stems from much more than the approval of others. Although it certainly helps, sometimes someone can be very popular, but think very ltitle of themselves.
