Reality TV "Standards"

With so many reality TV shows, there is a new genre of entertainment that is creating new "norms" for the American public. Previously, many norms and life lessons were taught to television viewers through sitcoms, dramas, and cartoons. For example children would observe their favorite TV characters saying "please" and "thank you" on the program and that would serve as an additional learning tool in addition to children being taught to be polite by their parents. There are so many more reality TV shows then when I was a child and now our youth is watching these shows and observing poor behavior and they may think that it is normal. For example, if a young child is sitting in the same room as their mom who is watching The Real Housewives of New Jersey, they could see one of the main "characters" Teresa getting so angry that she flips a table. Another example is if one is watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians and watching the Kardashian sisters going shopping and spending obscene amounts of money in a single shopping trip, or hearing them talk about their Christian Louboutin shoes. Anyone from pre-teens to young professionals could watch this and begin to think that it is normal for women to have Christian Louboutin shoes or spend way too much money while shopping is okay and normal. I feel that these shows that are based off of money and wealth have had a horrible influence over young Americans and has feed into the overspending trend that many citizens have a problem with. People watch these reality shows and want to be just as glamorous as the people thy watch on TV and spend money they may not have to feel as if they are a part of this unrealistic world.