Everybody remembers that fateful day when the most beloved crocodile hunter, and beloved TV show star, was pronounced dead while shooting an episode to his show. Although his death was captured on film, the show editors had enough respect to not broadcast the event to the world; and that’s the kind of dignity that should be used on all TV shows, especially reality TV. However some shows have no respect for people’s personal lives, and as long as it attracts viewers, they are ready to tape and show practically anything.

How long, and how far, will we allow the intrusion of every detail of celebrity lives, to be told to this world? Privacy and publicity are two polar opposites, with a fine border in between them. The main point is, a person needs to have moral values protecting their privacy from the outside world; not every aspect of their life needs to be shared. Some lines should be drawn as far as publicity goes, and never to be crossed.

The movie, the Truman Show, is a perfect example of what our future could turn into if we don’t limit our TV shows now. How fair is it, that the whole world gets to know Truman’s entire life, he can’t hide anything? People make bets and predictions on his life and choices he will make. Viewers of the show are also given a preview of the next weeks “episode”, where the staff members will “spice up” his life. The whole world was aware that soon, a lady would be introduced to Truman and play the part of a love interest in his life, before Truman himself even knew. The quote from the movie “Your entire life has been built up for something” is very true. However it is outright wrong to have the rest of the world figure out what that something is, before you even know!

As far as today’s top celebrity’s privacy goes, there is very little. “We see how jealously you guard your own privacy” was said to the TV director, Christof, in the movie the Truman show. He was relentless to give Truman no privacy, revealing everything about his life to the world; however, he kept his own personal life very secretive. We, who beg TV and magazines for more gossip and the “latest scoop” on our favorite celebrities, would be so unwilling to expose our own dirtiest secrets; how controversy is that?! We beg to know, and scorn to admit.

I believe our reality shows today, and even the many magazines sold that trace back all of their information to gossip, are already dishing out too much inappropriate information. You can see the evolution of how our society has flirted with the borders of harmless information, to quite contrary, highly inappropriate facts that should be left alone as personal information. During the early 60’s not one person would dare to broadcast even a fraction of the things shown on TV today. You would be lectured, and almost shunned if the thought of it was even brought up, none the less to innocent children. Now a day, the networking has drastically changed. Channels that are supposed to be for kids often contain suggestive themes. Unless we draw a fine line between the borders of what should be public knowledge, and private life, our future could turn out as preposterous and exposing as Truman’s in his movie/ show.

What is this world coming to, if people no longer care about the privacy of one another? Soon enough, the generations to come, will see no problem with live broadcast deaths, and other unaccepted behavior we believe in now. As the Truman show says, “We accept the reality in which we are presented”. We need to lay down the law now, and stop indulging ourselves into the unprotected lives of actors, performers, and even regular people partaking in reality TV shows. If we don’t, our future will come to accept the most horrific things they will see and hear. They won’t second guess, and just believe, that’s “How life is”. It is our duty as a community today to stop this from occurring. Let’s each take a stand, and together, protect the privacy of each other’s lives.