Scripted Versus Reality

Disclaimer: This is not intended to offend any of the millions of viewers of reality shows out there. This is my humble opinion. Write your opinion, I will read it.

My friend Jonathan and I were eating lunch yesterday, and we were having a discussion about football, wrestling, and then my dislike for all thing reality shows on TV. Jonathan is a big fan of reality shows. He and his awesome wife watch them all the time and get a lot of laughs and enjoyment from them. As for me, when I watch them I feel angry and at times dumber. For the life of me I will never understand most reality shows.

Now to be honest, I do watch three shows that are considered reality shows. Those shows are, American Restoration (a show that highlights items that have been beaten up by time and how they are restored), Counting Cars (a show that highlights restored cars), and one of the original reality shows, Survivor. Now Survivor I see more of a contest show. When I watch Survivor, I actually fast forward through most of each show to watch the challenges and then to see who gets booted. Each show is marketed as a reality show, but to me they have a different spin to each of them that allows me to take that reality show warning going on in the back of my head and silence it as I watch.

My problem with a lot of reality shows out there is that they seem to deal in meanness, anger, and trying to destroy a person’s soul. There are shows where a person’s only job is to make them shine over everyone else in the show and by doing so, they intentionally harm the person mentally. There are other shows where people’s fame is celebrated, which can be fine. But my question is, what are you doing with your lives? Being famous to be famous, is that a way you want to live your life? Then there are shows where people have their lives shown on TV and wacky things just happen to them. How dumb does the show’s producer think we are? We know everything is staged. In most reality shows there is nothing real about them.

Now this is what I enjoy watching, scripted shows. I LOVE scripted TV shows. I truly believe that when TV is done right it can raise the human condition and show how amazing this life that God gave us can be. Comedies when done right can be laugh out loud funny and help bring genuine joy in to our lives. Dramas when done right can be thought provoking and entertaining. I am proud to say that my favorite show is The West Wing. That show had comedy and drama, and was also thought provoking and inspiring. It is a show I will watch over and over again and get a new feeling from it every time I watch it. I doubt a reality show could ever do that for me.

 Now, I am not saying people should stop watching reality shows. Far from it…if the show makes you take a few minutes away from a tough day or situation, then it did its job. What I am asking is that you think about what you watch. Do you want something that will shows people tearing people down? Showing people behaving dumb, when in actuality the person is quite intelligent and is trying to bring attention to them? Show a person that is on TV that is not there to entertain, but to continue to grow their celebrity and their bank? Television is a powerful medium. I believe the channels out there have a responsibility to continue to create powerful shows. But we as viewers have the power to just shut off the nonsense. And things that tear people down are the biggest pieces of nonsense out there.

Your Eternal Bud,
Chris

Even in Florida it is Cold When You Sleep Outside

I play trivia at a local restaurant every Saturday with a buddy. Trivia has always been something fun for me. I have always known bits and pieces of random trivia, and Saturday nights are a night I can show my bits of knowledge. 

When leaving trivia tonight a gentleman came up to my friend and me and asked for some money so that he could get something to eat. My friend and I told him the truth; we did not have any cash on us and that we were sorry. The gentlemen went on to ask the next person that came out, and we went on our way.

I didn’t think much about it until an hour later, I was walking to my car from the store next to the restaurant. I saw the man that asked me for money sleeping on a bench outside the store. He was not bothering anyone, but there he was trying to get comfortable. I stood there for a moment. Should I wake him and see if he got food? Is he going to be warm enough? Plus he was settling down to sleep. Do I disturb him? I just did not know what to do.

I will be honest, I do not usually give money to people asking for it. I really wish I could feel comfortable giving that money to them, but I am usually apprehensive for a few reasons. First, I gave a guy money once and I saw him buy alcohol with it and not food. Defeated the purpose of giving him the money completely. Second, I have seen so many news pieces on con artists that ask for money claiming they need it, but in actuality are doing very well. I usually help out at food banks or give money to charities to get the money in the right places.

So two thoughts. First, I almost never carry cash on me now. Debit cards are the norm for me. When cash is needed, there is usually an errand to be run to go get some. Maybe I should think about carrying some with me for special circumstances. Second, when did I get so jaded on helping another human being out? I hate doubting another person’s motives. That is not what Christ did. Christ jumped in and helped as best He could and as much as He could. It is moments like tonight that remind me for someone who is supposed to be Christ like; I am so far from it. I just frustrate me.

So what did I do tonight? Well I decided that I did not want to disturb him. I just hope that food did get to him. What I did do, was put a blanket and an old pillow I had in my car and put it on the bench next to him (not disturbing him) and left. Hoping he could come to a better use for both those things than me who just uses it for the occasional comfort. It is going to be a cold night tonight in Jacksonville, Florida. I really hope he can get some use with them. 

God take care of this unknown man. Keep him warm. Keep him fed.

Sincerely,

Chris