Like most things in “entertainment”, there is a residual effect on our minds. If one spans the last one hundred years of all genres, it can be said that the imagery of how our people are portrayed has changed by leaps and bounds. African Americans are just as likely to be cast in negative roles as they are in more positive roles. With that being said I still conclude that there’s a vast dichotomy of double standards when we compare the traditional model of television. Double standards you ask? How could there be any double standards in the eras pre-dating “reality” television? I’m glad you asked.
Television writers have long embellished the everyday lives of the different characters they have created. No matter the race, creed, socioeconomic status, gender or story line, writers have long been guilty of making the characters more beautiful than the average person or abundantly rich type cast be more of a tight wad than someone who actually exist. This duality sets the stage for reality T.V. MTV created a model long ignored with their Real World series that started in the late 1980’s. Of course this programming didn’t influence the masses of black teens (I don’t recall any of my peers in the 90’s discussing the show.)
Fast forward to 21 century America, we find that there is so much more that kids can be influenced by. Children of all hues and socioeconomic backgrounds have a better shot at being exposed to certain aspects of culture with reality television being their unofficial guide. Black teens in poorer neighborhoods can go to You Tube or any other new media platform to catch episodes of their favorite shows.
Like times of old, white teens get to beg, borrow and steal the cultural brilliance of their black peers that they may never meet or otherwise share two words with. Reality TV is more dangerous than its proceeding genre of sitcoms or dramas. Reality TV depends on shock value only. The hidden “reality” within this methodology of programming is that youth and sadly their parents are sold a bill of goods.
Money is what drives the business of entertainment which provides us with the basis of why this medium can be such a detriment to a community that is already riddled with so many obstacles to overcome. It’s one thing to say that parental and personal responsibility should inoculate an entire generation of young minds.
The harsh “reality” is that we cannot hang our proverbial hats on television execs having a heart for the least of their brethren. Some of our well to do black peers and less fortunate ones are not much different from these powerbrokers. A decision has been made by all parties I named previously to justify the destructive behavior that we view in reality entertainment. The glorification of drugs, sex, power, money, and celebrity has more tentacles than 1,000 octopuses. Its influence has can be felt in all phases of American life. Sadly this form of “entertainment” is here to stay.
By: Andrew Patton aka “The Sports KritiK” @ http://tobtr.com/s/2110719
