In today’s world, America runs on reality television. To regular citizens, reality T.V. has become the creme de la creme of entertainment when boredom takes over. We love to hate on our biggest stars, calling the shows our “guilty pleasures”, only to further help reality stars gain stardom via our Twitter feed. The point of reality television was once to make viewers uncomfortable and give an honest perspective. Today, reality has become scripted, not so much a snapshot of our lives, but a recreation of what we wish our lives were, secretly.

Kim Kardashian started out with a reality show. For years, we kept up with the Kardashians. Yet, we hate them. We say mean words, bashing their choices and Instagram pictures. And even with all that hate, we propel them forward. In “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette” men and women objectify themselves in socially unacceptable ways you would never see in the real world. And yet, we watch. And we believe that from such environments, real love can stem. America needs a reality check: none of these shows mean a thing. Show business has always been, and will always be, calculated to the industry’s advantage. Getting a red rose from an attractive male does not constitute the love of your life and complete happiness. All it really shows is our general lack of self-confidence.

Reality shows are fun, don’t get me wrong. There are times that an episode of the “Jersey Shore” would make me feel better about myself, immediately. In the long run, however, these shows only add fuel to a growing fire of a lack of self-worth. Attention is being overpaid to the undeserving. While some countries, such as China, have teenagers idolizing Bill Gates, American teens fashion themselves after Snookie and Mike the Situation. Entertainment should be entertainment. Actors should be called actors. Be honest about what Americans are watching and believing. The next time Kim Kardashian gets married, at least we may collectively agree to not care.