Voyeurism On TV: Harful Or Helpful?

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Voyeurism on TV, Harmless or Harmful?? Television is arguably the most popular form of entertainment in today?s society. Many people find themselves planning their day around certain TV shows. Lately, many people can be found reserving part of their day to watch shows such as Survivor, Temptation Island and Real World. These shows have grown to be extremely popular in the last 5 years and now dominate the television screen. With the rise of these shows, comes a moral dilemma. Are these shows an extension of voyeurism? Are they programs that are morally sound and are fit for public viewing? Reality television has grown so much recently and has sparked many issues in the entertainment world.

Voyeurism. It's a trend that is happening worldwide. Voyeurism is defined as ?a prying observer who is usually seeking the sordid or the scandalous.? (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) Digital movies are fast becoming the standard for movie making, and web cameras are becoming even more popular as people plug them into their computer and make movies of their daily lives.

Even the tastes in television have centered on the newfound voyeurism, with many networks globally introducing voyeuristic television shows. In the CBS show Survivor people are stranded on a island in the Pacific and in an experiment in Darwinism, people are voted off the island if they don't perform, while us (the world) watch their every move.

What ever happened to personal privacy? In a country where privacy is becoming more important to us every day (especially in America, the home of the gated-community), we are showing ourselves participating in our most private moments for the world to see. More and more people are allowing themselves to be watched, with thousands of people applying to be on Survivor 3 already. Where is the popularity for...