Debate SCOPE’S ESSAY KIT expert group Common Sense Media, What you need to write a perfect essay. one of the biggest problems with What Do You Think? reality TV is that there is nothing Does reality TV make young people stupid? The answer isn’t Is Reality TV real about it. Producers edit video so simple. Some say yes. Others say no. Go back into the article footage to make things seem crazier and find information to support each side, and put the than they really are. But many information on the lines below. Write three points Making You Stupid? viewers don’t know that. Plus, watch on each side. (We’ve done one for you.) something enough, and the behavior Gossiping. Lying. Acting dumb. Reality TV turns bad behavior into a good time. can start to seem completely realistic and normal. “On these shows, all kids into sensational entertainment— drink before 21, and all kids use racial fl aws like meanness and materialism. epithets or aggressive speech as an YES NO REALITY TV MAKES REALITY TV DOESN’T MAKE Take My Super Sweet 16. In each everyday occasion,” says Perle. “But YOUNG PEOPLE STUPID. YOUNG PEOPLE STUPID. episode, a boy or girl plans a birthday in reality, it’s only those kids on that party that costs more than a car or a particular piece of entertainment.” 1 ______Kids imitate what 1 ______year of college. Meanwhile, on Teen Mom, a 15-year-old mother whines Smart and Savvy ______they see on TV. ______about not having any money because Not everyone thinks kids are being ______she has to support her child—while damaged by reality TV. Some experts ______admiring her expensively manicured point out that young people today are nails. Or how about Big Brother, smart and savvy when it comes to the ______where everyone makes lists of all the shows they watch. Even Perle agrees ______things they hate about one other? that most kids should be able to look at reality shows with a critical eye. “I More than 3.6 million viewers tune All About Abs? give today’s kids a lot of credit. They 2 ______2 ______in to MTV each week to watch Snooki (center) and the cast of Jersey Shore. And then there are the stereotypes. have a sense of right and wrong.” ______Are all girls obsessed with clothes and Maybe watching some reality TV ______spray tans? Are all boys obsessed with can actually be (gulp) educational. f you look at me, Temper tantrums, selfi shness, getting toned abs? That’s what many Many shows, after all, make it clear ______“ you think I’m, like, cruelty, and plain old stupidity. of the most popular shows would that acting recklessly and behaving ______stuck-up. But yet, These are the main ingredients for have you think. Plus, some experts badly have bad consequences. Teen ______like, I save animals,” some of today’s hit reality TV shows. say these shows send a dangerous Mom shows you how tough and Snooki whines on And guess who’s watching them? message: that being stupid and lonely it is to be a teenage parent. the reality TV show Jersey Millions of young people just selfi sh is fun. It can make you rich The spoiled brats on My Super Sweet 3 ______3 ______Shore. Meanwhile, her “pal” Mike like you. and famous! After all, Snooki has 16 may make you think twice about I ______openly mocks her, saying: “She looks bragged that even President Obama demanding a new iPhone for your like a spray-painted Chihuahua.” Toxic Television knows who she is. birthday. And watching stars on ______Now fl ip the channel to Real In the past, channels like MTV and Many studies say that watching The Hills backstab their friends ______Housewives of New Jersey. “Don’t call VH1 were a place for young people to too much trashy TV can cause young may make you give your loyal best ______me honey,” Danielle is telling Teresa. watch music videos by their favorite people to do poorly in school and friend a huge hug. “You’re an old hag,” Teresa replies. artists. Those days are over. Music has even try some of the risky behaviors Then again, hopefully you don’t ______What happens next? An all-out fi ght, been largely replaced by shows that they see on-screen. According to Liz need reality TV to teach you any which ends when the police arrive. turn people’s worst character fl aws Perle, editor in chief of the media of these lessons. GET THIS ©TIFFANY ROSE/WIREIMAGE • ACTIVITY TAKE THIS ACTIVITY FURTHER! WRITE A ONLINE PERSUASIVE ESSAY WITH OUR SCOPE TEMPLATE.

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