Reality TV: Devil, Teacher, or Harmless Entertainment – The Shocking Truth – When I Was Your Age #9
The following debate takes place inside a fictional media network where generational clashes are staged like cage matches, opinions must sometimes be pre-approved, and reality is often scripted—even if the reality show isn’t. Viewer discretion and a functioning sense of humor are advised.
NOVA: I’ll say it loud and proud: I love reality TV. Love it. Judge all you want, Corny Baby, but last night’s episode had more tension than our last board meeting.
CORNELIUS: And both were equally devoid of decorum. Nova, must we keep pretending that reality TV has any social value? It’s emotional demolition with a soundtrack. We’ve turned dignity into a meme.
NOVA: Okay, but… entertain me. What’s your version of quality programming? A three-hour special on the History of the Stapler?
CORNELIUS (staring and grinning): The stapler? Am I really that boring? At least throw in some paper clips and multicolored pencils.
I would argue we once aspired to elevate the culture. Now we’re filming people screaming in hot tubs.
When I was your age, people didn’t need roses to start a courtship—they needed eye contact and a steady job!
NOVA (smiling): OK, that’s kind of funny.
CORNELIUS: Thank you, and this isn’t even new!
An American Family, 1973—PBS. The Louds. That was reality TV before it got bedazzled and Botoxed.
Back then, it was called a “documentary.” Now it’s a business model.
NOVA: You say that like it’s a bad thing. Reality TV is a business—and a teacher.
You want to learn about relationships, power dynamics, survival skills, fashion, branding? It’s all there.
The Bachelor gave me more social insight than Psych 101.
CORNELIUS: And yet people leave that show engaged to someone they spoke to for five minutes and shared a fondue night with.
Nova, reality TV is not education—it’s exposure therapy for civility.
NOVA: Or maybe it’s a mirror, Cornelius. A shiny, chaotic, dramatic mirror. You ever think maybe we don’t like what we see because it’s too real?
CORNELIUS: I think we like it because it lets us act worse and feel superior while doing it.
And when people start thinking that behavior is normal—flipping tables, backstabbing alliances, sobbing for likes—we erode the idea of polite society.
NOVA: Ugh. There it is. “Polite society.” That’s just code for boring and repressed.
Look around, Corny. We’re living in our own reality TV show now—Informer.Digital is literally being devalued in real time so some mystery buyer can scoop us up for less than a busted confessional booth from Love Is Blind: Toledo Edition.
CORNELIUS: A perfect example. Our editorial meetings now include “strategic content alignment mandates.” Our opinions must be pre-approved.
We’ve become the very thing we mock—a scripted circus disguised as free expression. You think reality TV didn’t normalize that?
NOVA: Okay but—hot take—we might actually go viral if we start filming our breakdown. I’ll order the ring light.
CORNELIUS: Great we can call it Real Housewives of Informer.Digital. I’ll order society’s obituary.
NOVA: Relax, Corny Baby. Reality TV is a release. It gives people something to laugh at, cry over, and tweet about. Not everything has to be profound.
CORNELIUS: No, but it should at least be true. And that’s the cruel twist of reality TV—it calls itself “real,” but it’s as orchestrated as a Broadway play.
Except in this version, the understudies sell teeth whitening kits between acts.
NOVA: So what? We all curate our lives now. Instagram, TikTok, podcasts—being “on” is the new off. Reality TV just got there first.
CORNELIUS: Then perhaps it’s time we took a step back, unplugged the ring light, and asked ourselves what kind of society we’re performing for.
If reality TV reflects us, maybe it’s time to change the channel.
NOVA: Fine, but can we wait until after The Ultimatum finale? I already made charcuterie.
Mike worked in the radio industry for 35 years which means sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek, satirical, trash talking characters to remind you laughter is good for the soul! Let’s have some fun with entertainment, movies and TV, sports, budget food and games, lifestyle and we’ll get ridiculous.
