1/15/18
Competition. It inspires and pushes people, but also crushes, defeats, and hurts others. There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy competition. in addition to this, people take competition in different ways whether it be positive or negative. However, I feel that lately the amount of unhealthy competition leading to psychological problems has only grown. I can’t help but feel that the media yet again plays a big role in this issue.
One of the most played and common genres of television shows is reality television and competitive shows such as Survivor or Masterchef. We have been entertained by competition all through history from the Romans with the Colosseum to the status quo. I think that now, everything has been a competition. From good grades, colleges, looks, personality, talent, athleticism, build, etc, everyone just wants to win or be the best.
Through reality TV shows like The Bachelor this idea is only heightened. Women fight for attention and make gossip or do certain things to win the attention of a man and this same concept goes for many shows. People are always shown fighting for attention. However, spending time with a person should not be a competition and why should people be shown being pitted against each other for something as natural as love? This is not healthy competition because it gives the wrong idea of concepts such as attractiveness, personality, or love in all.
Another genre that shows us this unhealthy or retrogressive attitude is series purely based on competition. One example is America's Next Top Model. This show pits female models against each other to potentially gain a greater career in the field. Not only does this give the idea that you must win or be a failure essentially, it is a bad influence on girls who may be watching this content. In my last post I commented on how many teenage girls feel their worth is determined by looks and this is reiterated through this show. So, not only does it perpetuate the importance of looks, it puts it in the viewers mind that everything is a competition.
Colleges get more and more competitive and students have been convinced that good colleges mean success which means victory. Colleges have only intensified this idea saying they want the best of the best or that they are the greatest college. Students have developed so many problems due to this pressure and stress of wanting to eventually "win success". Everything has become a competition. I do understand that people need a bit of a push perhaps to get them to do well or to progress, but the extent it has developed partly due to the media is much too far.
Competition. It inspires and pushes people, but also crushes, defeats, and hurts others. There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy competition. in addition to this, people take competition in different ways whether it be positive or negative. However, I feel that lately the amount of unhealthy competition leading to psychological problems has only grown. I can’t help but feel that the media yet again plays a big role in this issue.
One of the most played and common genres of television shows is reality television and competitive shows such as Survivor or Masterchef. We have been entertained by competition all through history from the Romans with the Colosseum to the status quo. I think that now, everything has been a competition. From good grades, colleges, looks, personality, talent, athleticism, build, etc, everyone just wants to win or be the best.
Through reality TV shows like The Bachelor this idea is only heightened. Women fight for attention and make gossip or do certain things to win the attention of a man and this same concept goes for many shows. People are always shown fighting for attention. However, spending time with a person should not be a competition and why should people be shown being pitted against each other for something as natural as love? This is not healthy competition because it gives the wrong idea of concepts such as attractiveness, personality, or love in all.
Another genre that shows us this unhealthy or retrogressive attitude is series purely based on competition. One example is America's Next Top Model. This show pits female models against each other to potentially gain a greater career in the field. Not only does this give the idea that you must win or be a failure essentially, it is a bad influence on girls who may be watching this content. In my last post I commented on how many teenage girls feel their worth is determined by looks and this is reiterated through this show. So, not only does it perpetuate the importance of looks, it puts it in the viewers mind that everything is a competition.
Colleges get more and more competitive and students have been convinced that good colleges mean success which means victory. Colleges have only intensified this idea saying they want the best of the best or that they are the greatest college. Students have developed so many problems due to this pressure and stress of wanting to eventually "win success". Everything has become a competition. I do understand that people need a bit of a push perhaps to get them to do well or to progress, but the extent it has developed partly due to the media is much too far.
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