People argue that watching television leads to obesity and, in general, to laziness. Although watching television can sometimes put a person into a comatose state of consciousness, it can also serve as motivation for someone to change in order to improve their quality of life. This paradoxical relationship stems from the content of what is shown on television. The media has always focused on the young, handsome, and beautiful people in our society, with actors and models rarely truly reflecting what the average population looks like. The introduction of reality television also introduced the presence of real people being broadcast into their peers’ homes, allowing people to finally see someone they could relate to more easily through their satellite television. Beyond just having real people on TV, self-improvement shows have also been developed. While society in general has put pressure on people to want to strive for unreasonable personal appearance goals, shows featuring real people trying to make attainable goals for betterment serve as much more inspiration to the general public.
Reality television puts people with real flaws right in front of the rest of us, allowing their blemishes to be clearly displayed in HD awaiting our judgement. TV shows like “The Biggest Loser,” which features an unlovely pun in the title, feature severely overweight people trying to make a healthy change. While it’s still a competition as the title suggests, the core idea of the show is quite inspiring as people break long-standing debilitating habits in favor of a healthier routine. The impact of shows of this nature is deeper because you see real people change before your eyes over a period of time, not just a commercial for some product where someone “magically” loses weight by taking a special pill. The audience watches as these people take the advice they are given and are pushed to apply it to their lives. The process isn’t usually glamorous or easy, but that adds to the reality of the experience and the audience’s ability to relate and imagine themselves in the shoes of the competitors. Seeing people get up, get active, and make a change can serve as motivation for those at home to stop counting their daily NFL Sunday Ticket football viewing schedule as their sport of the day and actually get out and move.
Along with shows that demonstrate self-improvement, the marketing surrounding these shows can also be helpful to viewers. While commercials for quick fixes and other scams may find their way into the rotation, other exercise and proper eating programs can also be found in the commercials. The more information people receive, the more likely they are to find a personally appropriate approach to change and improve their lives. A life sitting and admiring HDTV in the living room is definitely not the path to a healthy lifestyle, but neither does it condemn a person to a life of obesity and hopelessness. Inspiration for change can come from anywhere, even from what some believe is the most unlikely place.
