Amplification and Reduction in Reality TV

Before this class, I never thought about what is amplified and reduced in reality T.V. After last Thursday's discussion, it was brought to my attention that a lot is amplified and reduced in the reality T.V. shows that I watch. Producers do this because they want their shows to be as attractive to the public as possible.
In class, one of the clips we watched was of Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. I love this show, but I have realized that fun is amplified and working is reduced. Dyrdeks factory is like a big playground filled with a skate park, big kid toys and big kids (usually grown men ). We see him playing more because it is absolutely hysterical. I know I rather see him making his gangsta rap songs and shooting people with huge tennis ball guns than watching him work. There are very few episodes where we see what his business does. Its like we all know he does work, but have no idea exactly what he does because people rather watch him have fun. Especially everyday working people. We know what it is like to go to work, so when someone is doing fun and exciting things, we're going to watch.
Another show that is amplified and reduced is Jersey Shore. Fighting and drama are definitely amplified. People like me love it because our lives aren't filled with all the fighting and drama so we don't mind watching other people in conflict. What is reduced is the fact that this is only a summer. I know many viewers believe the Jersey Shore cast lives this way all year around. For example, of course they can't survive off of the money they make in a tshirt shop, they obviously work when they're not at the Jersey Shore.
In a number of reality T.V. shows, work ethic, struggle, intelligence and consequences are reduced because producers believe that people rather see the fighting, drama, fun and "acting a fool". I believe this to be true because I rather watch someone else's drama than have my own issues. Also, now that I think of it, I do believe that some people watch reality T.V. to feel better about their own lives. There are many people on reality T.V. shows that you can look at and say " well at least that isn't me"
As viewers, we have to be careful about what we believe to be real or fake. We must not let reality T.V. distort our reality into believing that we could act like some of the people on T.V. and not pay consequences or believe that these people live the way we see on T.V. all year round.