Reality shows have been popular on television for a long time in the last decade, but they still attract a broad audience. Often, these projects are presented as people’s natural behavior in situations familiar to many. However, within television shows, it is worth understanding that many of them create artificial events to increase the entertainment value. From the audience’s perspective, these shows should preserve the principles of honesty and responsibility to show behavior that could become a universal law in accordance with Kant’s categorical imperative. Responsibility in this regard is the most significant point since reality shows show supposedly everyday behavior, which can become a role model for viewers.
First of all, from an audience perspective, it is expected for reality shows to preserve the principle of honesty. The concept of this type of television program assumes that participants act naturally without a script. However, a situation often arises when events are artificially created for entertainment purposes, which is obviously a fraud. It would be boring to watch the daily life of people, and therefore, within the framework of a reality show, it is necessary to create surprising events. In this regard, shows such as The Osbournes and Keeping Up with the Kardashians support these principles, as they do not mislead the audience. The life of such families is in itself unusual for the viewer, as they exist in a different world of wealth and show business, which is new to most people. However, many projects create artificial events to attract and surprise the audience, which violates the principle of honesty.
The second important principle in reality shows is a responsibility as an ethical value. Reality shows show the behavior of people who are ordinary and close to the audience in various everyday situations. Thus, for many, participants in such shows can become role models and set moral examples. The participants of the show do not always show the best qualities that could be useful for the formation of a healthy personality. Therefore, the creators of reality shows are responsible for what kind of behavior is shown in them. Viewers can take the participants and their actions without the necessary share of criticism, and the absence of comments within the show can affect the perception of negative examples as models of behavior. Reality show creators need to consider what kind of behavioral example their characters set for the audience and what influence they have on shaping their personalities.
The principles described are supported by Kant’s categorical imperative, which states that a person should act on the maxim that one would want to become a universal law. First of all, for Kant, behavior that implies a good for society deserves approval. Honesty and responsibility are the basic principles that allow for building reliable interpersonal relationships. Issuing false information as the truth creates a false impression in a person, which leads to incorrect judgments and related behavior. The manifestation of indecent behavior forms role models that are fixed and spread in society. Thus, on the basis of the categorical imperative, it can be judged that reality shows should set the best moral example of honesty and responsibility, which can become a universal law in society. However, one should remember that ethical principles do not always precede when discussing profitability and popularity.