Andrejevic's text on reality television struck me most out of this week's readings mostly because of this statement:

"Viewers and consumers are invited to subject themselves to forms of interactivity that monitor their behavior with the promise that this interactivity offers an outlet for creative self-expression."

This statement got me to thinking. Has reality television played a part in what I see as the objectification of the human race? Obviously, according to Andrejevic, people are nowadays sacrificing their privacy in order to express themselves creatively through "big brother" technologies such as webcams and some reality TV shows. There is no denying, in my opinion, that people are seen less as humans and more as objects/commodities in this day and age, but have these technologies been the cause of it or were these technologies the result of a society that was already drifting in that direction? Or is it a mix? I see it as a mix.

I believe history has shown that society has tended to put a dollar-value to human life or devalued it down to the state of an object at least since the days of slavery. Whether it be slavery, genocide, or even child labor, people have disregarded others as the beautiful beings that they are by actions such as, but not limited to, these. History has also shown that people have become enlightened and have revolted against these injustices.

Although slavery, genocide, and child labor still exist (but to a lesser extent), I believe that there are modern-day forms of what I see as actions that reflect a disregard for human life. And the root of this mindset is the objectification of humans.

With that historical perspective in mind, I will add that I believe reality TV has opened another outlet for people to see their fellow humans in this corrupt perspective. It takes the form of fuel rather than fire.