Part of everyday life?: Backstabbing, jealousy, games, using people

[thephenom]

I have been watching Big Brother for years. We all watch these reality shows like Big Brother and Survivor, and some of us love the scheming, games, backstabbing and feel like voyeurs.

But are these characteristics we watch on TV, part of everyday human behaviour? Would they still be that prevalent in people if they weren't on a reality TV show? More specifically, part of the people directly around us like sisters, cousins and close friends.

I have noticed a few relationships I have damaged from these television like issues:
-jealousy from a friend from being overcompetitive
-my sister disassociating with me because she knows I don't approve of how she takes advantage of our naive mother. She takes every last dollar she can from her to live her bar manager lifestyle of a new car every 4 years, and contantly shopping and living the lifestyle of those that read People Magazine.
-My cousin who is the same age as me, viewing everything we do as some sort of competition against one another, and can't let it go.

Its almost sickening how these TV like qualities touch so close to real life. Is my life just messed up beyond belief? Or is this what reality and human nature is? And I should learn to deal with reality?

Has anyone ever been at a point in their life where good human beings are almost a rare thing?

[[Phill]]

When you say "we all watch these reality shows" i get offended that you are lumping me in with you bottom of the barrel dregs of society scum who are pushing the dumbing down of TV.

[asofel]

Post deleted by daryn

[KotOD]

[ QUOTE ]
When you say "we all watch these reality shows" i get offended that you are lumping me in with you bottom of the barrel dregs of society scum who are pushing the dumbing down of TV.

[/ QUOTE ]

Quiet you. Deadliest Catch is the stuff.

[bisonbison]

Its almost sickening how these TV like qualities touch so close to real life. Is my life just messed up beyond belief? Or is this what reality and human nature is? And I should learn to deal with reality?

I'm guessing you're not older than 23, and are probably still a teenager.

Most people I know are incredibly kind when treated well. Those that aren't tend to be really unhappy and unable to accept kindness.

Stop being a douche and get your head out of your ass. Then get better friends.

[Blarg]

Why are reality and human nature only one thing? Using an either/or dialectic to understand the world kind of screws you both ways. There are so many different kinds of people, and so much of our behavior depends on the situations we are in, that defining people as a whole as either selfish or selfless, or good or evil, smacks more of trying to find a comfortably lazy, self-indulgent way to think about them than it does of an honest effort to understand them.

[tagtastic]

If the people in your life in any way resemble the people on Big Brother or Survivor, you are surrounded by douchebags and there's a high probability that you are one too.

[thephenom]

Blarg: I definetely agree with your point that humans are multi dimensional, and react in different ways depending on the situations that they are in. I myself am just having difficulty understanding the behaviour of some of the people around me.

I'm not saying everyone around me is a douche, but it seems like I'm very dissappointed in the behaviour and the outlook of a few key people who hold important positions in my life.

I'm just curious as to whether this experience of people behaving this way is something common that I should just get used to.

[guids]

[ QUOTE ]
Blarg: I definetely agree with your point that humans are multi dimensional, and react in different ways depending on the situations that they are in. I myself am just having difficulty understanding the behaviour of some of the people around me.

I'm not saying everyone around me is a douche, but it seems like I'm very dissappointed in the behaviour and the outlook of a few key people who hold important positions in my life.

I'm just curious as to whether this experience of people behaving this way is something common that I should just get used to.

[/ QUOTE ]


Of everyone that you listed in the OP, you seem like the most self involved douche bag of them all.

[Quicksilvre]

[ QUOTE ]
Is my life just messed up beyond belief? Or is this what reality and human nature is? And I should learn to deal with reality?

[/ QUOTE ]

You have greater problems than those you mention in your post if you can't answer these on your own.