In a society where t.v. is inundated by "reality", the news stories that get the most hits are riddled with personal images, and gossip about celebrities actually makes it on the evening news. It has become increasingly obvious to me that we are a nation addicted to watching.
Who doesn't linger a little longer for a juicy story, or watch a little too long when someone is engaged in a public verbal sparring war, or a little over exuberance in PDA. We all do it, whether it is casually glancing or full on staring, watching is human nature.
Although curiosity killed the cat, luckily cats have 9 lives, and I'm willing to bet at least one of yours is connected to some form of watching someone from a far. Whether it is a harmless click on a facebook photo page, rubbernecking it at an accident site, or buying trashy celebrity magazines, we are all tuning in to someone else’s trauma, embarrassment, stupidity, and joys.
No shame, I'm a voyeur too.
Do I look at my friends facebook pictures, relationship status, and hardly ever leave a comment, YES!
Do I read blogs, spilling out personal thoughts, and only maybe once, or likely never leave a comment, YES!
Do I occasionally click on people.com and have an app for it on my backberry, YES!
Do I scorn shows like survivor & American Idol, but enjoy the drama of Intervention, Hoarders, 16 & pregnant, and other lets monopolize on your misfortune reality shows, HECK YES!
I am an addict. Occasionally I need my other people's life is more crappy than mine fix. And in some cases, 'oh look how this person I know in real life is doing now', and 'oh, they must have went to a brewers game because there are photos from a brewers game right there'... it's interaction without the person to person interface, and I love it.
For an internal introvert like me, interactions with people although lovely and enjoyable, are draining. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the interconnection that all people have to themselves, others, experiences and the world. I love to see it, ask questions about it, and make it better, heck that's part of my job. But I also love the ability to be alone and peep from afar, to not have to feel emotionally connected to someone’s story yet still find it amusing, while not having to feel the emotional drain. It’s intoxicating to watch without connection.
So for all those who love to watch, but hid under a sheathe of embarrassment, embrace it. You are who you are. And those who say they’re not watching, when that person at work just flipped out at the other person, well, you’re lying.
Who doesn't linger a little longer for a juicy story, or watch a little too long when someone is engaged in a public verbal sparring war, or a little over exuberance in PDA. We all do it, whether it is casually glancing or full on staring, watching is human nature.
Although curiosity killed the cat, luckily cats have 9 lives, and I'm willing to bet at least one of yours is connected to some form of watching someone from a far. Whether it is a harmless click on a facebook photo page, rubbernecking it at an accident site, or buying trashy celebrity magazines, we are all tuning in to someone else’s trauma, embarrassment, stupidity, and joys.
No shame, I'm a voyeur too.
Do I look at my friends facebook pictures, relationship status, and hardly ever leave a comment, YES!
Do I read blogs, spilling out personal thoughts, and only maybe once, or likely never leave a comment, YES!
Do I occasionally click on people.com and have an app for it on my backberry, YES!
Do I scorn shows like survivor & American Idol, but enjoy the drama of Intervention, Hoarders, 16 & pregnant, and other lets monopolize on your misfortune reality shows, HECK YES!
I am an addict. Occasionally I need my other people's life is more crappy than mine fix. And in some cases, 'oh look how this person I know in real life is doing now', and 'oh, they must have went to a brewers game because there are photos from a brewers game right there'... it's interaction without the person to person interface, and I love it.
For an internal introvert like me, interactions with people although lovely and enjoyable, are draining. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the interconnection that all people have to themselves, others, experiences and the world. I love to see it, ask questions about it, and make it better, heck that's part of my job. But I also love the ability to be alone and peep from afar, to not have to feel emotionally connected to someone’s story yet still find it amusing, while not having to feel the emotional drain. It’s intoxicating to watch without connection.
So for all those who love to watch, but hid under a sheathe of embarrassment, embrace it. You are who you are. And those who say they’re not watching, when that person at work just flipped out at the other person, well, you’re lying.
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