KRT ENTERTAINMENT STORY SLUGGED: TV-BACHELOR KRT PHOTOGRAPH BY SHARON GEKOSKI-KIMMEL/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (November 21) Friends and family gathered at the home of Jen Plews in Gloucester City, New Jersey, to watch as Helene Eksterowicz, Gloucester City's darling won "The Bachelor" show. (PH) NC KD 2002 (Horiz) (lde)
Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph are happy as can be after finding love with each other on this season of “The Bachelor.” While these two love birds have been able to find love (at least for now), most contestants of the show have not been so lucky.
This brings up the question, is “The Bachelor” a realistic way for people to find love? Or is it setting unrealistic expectations of what love is? And if it is unrealistic, why are we addicted to it?
If you aren’t familiar with the show, and even if you are, let me give you a glimpse of what it is. There are 25 to 30 women (or men, when it’s “The Bachelorette”) vying over the attention and love of a single man (or woman, when it’s “The Bachelorette”) and are expected to be engaged by the end of an eight week period, with only seeing each other once or twice a week.
Any normal thinking person would agree this sounds absurd, unrealistic and honestly, impossible. There is no possible way for two people to be ready for marriage after such little interaction and such little time. Yet, the show still convinces its audience this is indeed “true love.”
“The Bachelor” uses techniques such as over-the-top dates, exotic destinations, and a cliche fairytale engagement that every man or women dreams of having to create this image of what love is.
Let me be the first to say, love is not all making out on the beach or all-you-can-drink champagne. Love is found through time spent with one another, getting to know one another, and accepting each other no matter what.
If love is not found on reality television, then why is everyone still obsessing over this show?
We have loved fairytale stories from the time we were young, and this show is just an adult version of a fairytale. Although we may know fairytale endings are indeed just a fairytale and the truth of fairytales is that they couldn’t possibly happen, we still enjoy the idea that someone else is capable of having that ending.
The show brings out emotions such as sadness, happiness, heartbreak and anger, which are feelings everyone can relate to. It is also believed that people watch the show to get tips on their own sex lives, romantic relationships, how to date, etc.
“The Bachelor” is entertaining and if anything, you won’t regret watching an entire season to see if two people do or do not end up spending the rest of their lives together.