It is safe to say that we all want to find “the one;” a companion to spend the rest of our lives with. So why wouldn’t you try to do it on a dating show? Answer: Because that isn’t how you find love. You will find lust, publicity and maybe even mono, but certainly not love.
These dating shows gather up large groups of women and men to be judged by one person. That one person determines by the end of season who gets their heart, the last rose or a ring. The goal is to be the last person standing; to withstand the obstacles each week in agony as other strangers get their turn of dating the bachelor or bachelorette.
Dating shows can be compared to game shows. Each week there’s a new task or activity, then after that activity the match chooses who gets to have quality time with them, and then eliminates those who failed to impress. These contestants go through a series of dates all to win the prize of “love.”
Sure, the producers really do try their best to make it seem like people are falling in love naturally, as anyone would with cameras three feet away from their face recording their every move. The production aspect of these dating shows is precisely a business based on ratings. It’s completely scripted, but they try to mimic real relationships so it can seem “natural.”
But there’s nothing natural about 29 people kissing the same person over a month of filming.
Throughout these dating shows, there’s a crazy amount of shadiness going on, including people talking behind the backs of others, as well as accusations of jealousy and unfaithfulness. Then, how crazy is it that the bachelor or bachelorette rewards their “date” with affection? In essence they become the Oprah Winfrey of kisses; a kiss for you and a kiss for you, everyone gets kisses. Twenty-nine kisses later and the host ends up not choosing anyone, much like Brad Womack did in season 11 of the Bachelor; all that turmoil for nothing.
Still, there are some shows that pair people based of their astrology signs, social interest or phones, like in a new Snapchat segment “Phone Swap.” This ridiculous show pairs two strangers, forces them to swap phones, snoop through the phone and at the end decide if they will go out with with the person they were paired with, solely based on the content in their phone. Perhaps I’m the only who doesn’t think that starting a relationship with the invasion of my partner’s privacy is a dream come true.
Reality dating shows are fake. They do not embody love, honesty or communication; which happen to be a few important elements needed in any real relationship. So, my advice is to stick to getting to know someone one-on-one. Go on food dates. Watch a movie. Watch a show. Talk about your interests and goals. Make jokes. Watch vines. And lastly, date one person at a time, instead of 29.
