Why reality tv used to be the a great autistic artform

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I remember when the current obsession with reality tv started back in the early 2000's. It began with big brother and then expanded into such shows as X Factor Fame Academy and Im a celbrity. As a 12-13 yr old kid I watched these avidly. They were fresh and exciting at the time. I relished the opportunity to get insights into human behavior - to see people in such an imporbable/unnatural habitat.

Of course as time wenbt on it became about exhibitionism but initially I felt that there was genuine sociological interest in these shows. They summed up the phrase "views social interaction in a laboratory context"

Or maybe im just trying to intellecutalise my prole-ish television taste

EDIT: Lol I stay away from such drek nowadays to clarify. I tend to watch space opera and dramas like boardwalk deadwood and sons of anarchy nowadays

Last edited by binaryodes on 18 Jan 2014, 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'm not going to lie but I'm actually watching Big Brother AU season 6 right now, literally as I type this. I love the show, and I've learned and applied SO much from it. I know that sounds stupid because most people regard it as trashy but what you said about insights into human behaviour is exactly why. I can analyze it and I can do so with relative ease as I get to see everything without even being there.

Oh god, I thought I was the only one who used these shows for those purposes!! I remember when MTV's "The Real World" first debuted. I think it was the first reality show I'd really seen. And back then in Season 1, the people in it were much more "real" and true to themselves, as opposed to the present day when the people on all these types of shows do largely seem to be fakes and exhibitionists seeking 15 minutes of fame.

In the initial season of that "Real World" show, I found it absolutely fascinating to be able to observe people just sitting around CHATTING with each other!!

The sad thing is, I was a 32 year old at the time!!

I was a grown woman yet still learning about how people interact.

I was fascinated to watch the facial expressions, how a conversation was conducted among "normal" people, as I had never considered myself to be normal, and I'd always known I goofed things up and didn't act the same way as others do.

I recall actually learning and trying to take on some of the mannerisms I saw. The reason I didn't or couldn't do that in real life around people I knew is because I was always too self conscious to actually watch people closely, incase they caught me staring. But with people on TV screen, you can stare all you like and watch how they behave.

As the years went by and these shows proliferated, all the recruits grew more shrewd and wiley in their motives for even being on such a show. They would do a lot more things for show, and be a lot more scripted. It's no good for watching any degree of "real" behavior anymore. I mean, there was always an element of self consciousness and script guidance from producers, I'm sure, but years ago you could still get to see all the little nuances of genuine conversations.

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I've never watched any of these so called reality TV shows. Maybe a random ten minutes out of one or two of them to see what they were about, but I'd rather watch paint dry. I find social chit-chat dull and watching others do it is just mind numbingly tedious, especially when they are in such an artificial environment and have to act for the camera and the voting audience.

Big Brother would be more entertaining if they set up like like the version that appeared on Dr Who.

Just to be very clear, oh I agree with you, these days, and I don't watch these things anymore.

I haven't been interested in them for long years now, and consider them to be trashy viewing.

But when they started I was fascinated by the opportunity to watch how people talk to each other, without actually being there. To see if I could learn any skills I knew I was lacking in, in my own interactions with people.

Because I'd never had the chance to just be a fly on the wall before.

And in the very early days, the participants were not as artificial as they certainly are now.


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I'm not sure what countries you guys are from but if you're from America, I've read about the American Big Brother and the general consensus is that when compared internationally it's very bad. I've read that the UK Big Brother is quite good, and I've also read that the Australian Big Brother is one of the best. From the episodes I've seen on YouTube, I tend to agree with this, though I may be bias.

In terms of observance, the reason I like Big Brother isn't because of the social chit-chat, rather it's more how they respond and react. I'll also often look at 'speaking styles' and methods of conveying information rather than the actual words, and then at the end of a series remember which of those were most important to those relatively socially successful people. I tend to look at the more popular (for genuine reasons) people, or those that I like most and incorporate some of their behaviour into my personality. Furthermore, the fact that some are kept in longer means to at least some degree, the general public approves of their behaviour and/or finds their behaviour to be entertaining.

All I've noticed about reality shows over the last 10 years or so is that they have always been the same. They all include drama or competition and being fake. MTV's Real world (farthest from the real world), jersey shore, 16 and pregnant, teen mom, survivor (lots of backstabbing on that one), just to name a few. Even The food network has tons of these drama filled reality shows/competition shows and it's so annoying. Nothing is innocent and light hearted anymore. It's all about the drama. I would never want to learn how to socialize via these shows.

Yes, that's what I meant...I wasn't interested in what was being said, I was interested in facial expressions, body language, reactions and the nature of how people interacted...



And again......I agree, and I was talking about their earliest days, and I DON'T ANYMORE.

As I said, it was when they first began to be aired and the participants were still rather innocent and not overly artificial as they are today, that I found it interesting to be a fly on the wall in witnessing the way people interact with each other. At the very least I learned a lot of interesting things about, for example, eye contact duration, for fcks sake...

And these shows have not "always been the same." They very quickly deteriorated but the initial advent saw a lot more innocence in the participants.

THESE DAYS all these shows are incredibly phony and so are the people.

But WHEN THEY FIRST BEGAN you could actually see much more natural human interactions.

And as for "The Real World," well everyone knew even from the start that the situation the participants were placed in had nothing "real" about it as they were in a house they'd never normally live in, in a social experiement that didn't even include going out to normal work every day,.....which is the REAL real world.

But human behavior is still real as far as interactions, eye contact, emotional responses. These are the things I'm talking about...

I don't know why I haven't made myself clear, everyone seems to be picking up on a couple of things and misinterpreting me.


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I dont think people are responding to you directly, rather theyre making general points. It might be helpful if anyone responding to BirdInFlight actually quotes her.

[quote="TallyMan"]I've never watched any of these so called reality TV shows. Maybe a random ten minutes out of one or two of them to see what they were about, but I'd rather watch paint dry. I find social chit-chat dull and watching others do it is just mind numbingly tedious, especially when they are in such an artificial environment and have to act for the camera and the voting audience./quote]


^^Ditto.^^ Drying paint would be eminently more fascinating.

I never really thought of these shows having any real value before.. but this thread is interesting. I can see how those that need it can learn a lot from watching (mostly) unscripted one-take/live social interactions.

I've never really cared for reality shows. Especially cheesy trash like Jersey Shore. The ones that are OK are some on Discovery/History etc where there's some educational component to it. Otherwise I just look at them and wonder who watches this trash?? Also, I can't help but do the math on how much tv production companies save on sets & professional actors + the amount they're bringing in from ad revenue based on the audience size they have.. it's disgustingly profitable compared to more conventional tv show production.

If I were going to watch much TV I'd watch something with top notch writing/acting/cinematography etc, but these days I rarely watch TV or movies. Others have it on and I kinda listen to it in the background but I almost never turn the tv on and watch a show anymore. If I'm wasting time in front of a screen, it's on my macbook online.

But yeah, interesting.. I can see how this could be useful to those on the spectrum. If only there were any truly Quality reality house shows vs. trashy drama.

I can't stand any of those shows, they are just massive reminders of how evil NT people are and dishonest and nasty to each other and me, I get those reminders on a daily basis just by having things stolen from me or people lying to me, don't need to watch them do it to each other.

when I am going to watch TV I want something to relax or I will just pick up a book and find something nice

THIS i will agree the 1st ever Big Brother could be viewed as a study of human behavior but not anymore people know how to play the game now and are more aware of what will be seen by the public on tv

We need to clarify that the 1st ever Big Brother occurred in the UK.

Furthermore NT's arent evil. Thats a preposterous statement. NT's range from evil to benevolent. Think of the many NT's who fought in the German resistance movement against the Nazis. Think of the French who contributed towards the French resistance movement against the collaborationist Vichy movement. Hardly evil people. Was Anne Frank autistic? Probably not. What about Corrie Ten boom?

yes your very right they are not evil but they can come across as very dishonest most of the time and tend to say the exact opposite of how they really feel on the inside

the entire reason WWI was fought was due to manipulations and the unfairness of how WWI was negotiated at Versailles, had Germany been allowed to properly rebuild their economy Hitler & the NAZI party woudl never have risen to power and none of that would have been needed

as my signature reads

all wars have been fought in history for the benefit of those in power at the cost of those they ground under them, it has always been this way and always will be unless the underlings stand up and refuse to be used.