I watch it, but it isn't reality

At the start of Temptation Island II, I told myself there was no way I was buying into that show. I watched the first one and was disgusted. I was not giving in this time. Wrong. Every Thursday night I find myself drawn to the television, nestled up next to my roommates as we all sit and watch the drama of Temptation II unfold. \nI don't agree with a single thing that happens on that show, and still I watch it, complain about it afterwards and then repeat the cycle. Whoever came up with the idea of throwing four uncertain couples on a deserted island with beautiful people set out to entice their boyfriends or girlfriends did a good job. I will give them credit because they definitely have found a captivated audience -- no matter how immoral, degrading or unrealistic the show may be. \nNext Thursday marks the final episode, and I am predicting that three of the couples will stay together and the other one will say goodbye. But honestly, my feeling is that even if I had left the island with my boyfriend, as soon as I saw of all the footage and the random hook-ups, I would be as good as gone. The wounds would not heal. \nThe problem with these so-called reality shows is that they are not reality. They draw people into their "real life" situations, create false perceptions of how life should be and perpetuate the idea of a glorified life of scandals, gossip, promiscuity and constant drama. I guess as long as people realize reality-based shows are anything but that, it doesn't matter. But I have a hard time believing that people don't sit back and think, "if only I could be in their shoes."\nKnowing all of this, I still can't get over the idea that I watch the show. It drives me crazy to watch as the women on the island are degraded into sex objects and fall into the stereotypical role of women today. They appear passive and insecure while their boyfriends have a good time on the other side of the island with the rest of the "boyfriend-stealing" women. The show seems biased against the women in more ways than one. The men live it up, the women cry and in the end, after the men have had their fun, they return to their ever-so-faithful and helpless girlfriends, who take them back with open arms. \nRegardless, shows like Temptation Island are always going to manage to weasel their way into prime-time television and gain a growing audience when there are people like me out there who hate the show for what it's worth and then blow it off as innocent entertainment. I am not sure yet what that says about me, but at least I am aware of what is really going on.\nThen again, maybe that's all it is: innocent entertainment. Still, when I hear people comment that the show is a good way to figure out if you want to be with someone, it makes me think twice about what innocent entertainment is in our society anymore. Maybe we are taking the "anything goes" attitude a bit too far. We have to draw the line somewhere.