I know a lot of people (myself included) are pretty tired of reality television at this point. Just about everywhere you turn you see a new show popping up that looks strikingly similar to the last 20 that came out. We just can’t get enough of reality TV, and it remains as one of the most popular genres out there. The emotional component that we get with reality TV is what keeps us hooked. We see someone on the show that we connect with emotionally, whether it’s because we relate to them or because we just enjoy something about them, and we want to see what happens to them. Our inherent human need to connect to people drives that attraction to reality TV. A while back I got introduced to MTV’s Run’s House reality show which basically shows the life of Reverend Run (of Run DMC fame) and his day to day dealings with his family.
Now I was a big Run DMC fan as a kid, so that initially sparked my interest. I really just expected to watch a couple shows and that would be it. Little did I know that I would get hooked on it! What really sucked me in is the way that Rev Run deals with his family. I really like the open communication and dialogue that he has with everyone in his family, especially his kids. As parents sometimes it’s easy to just go right into the parenting mode and not really take the time to listen to their feelings and give them their chance to tell you why they feel the way they feel. What Run does a great job of is fostering a togetherness as a family that makes everyone comfortable to speak their mind. Everyone is treated equally and has the same chance to speak their voice in the family.
I also really like the way that he handles situations with his kids. He is able to be a father and a friend, and manages to keep a positive spin on things even when he’s dishing out punishment. Since he’s constantly analyzing himself and his own actions, he is able to handle situations where his emotions may get the best of him. His ability to control his emotions (for the most part) and deal with his children in a calm, thoughtful manner is impressive, and something that I want to be able to emulate. I am the type of person that can thrive (and fall) on my emotions, and I have tried to make great strides in improving upon that.
It might sound silly, but watching Run’s House actually made me want to be a better father. I wanted to have the openness in my family that Run had created in his. Since then, we’ve worked at it and our family dynamic has become a lot more open. I’m not always able to keep my emotions at bay, but I’m getting better at it and my relationship with my son is as strong as it’s ever been. So while we all might moan and groan when we see the next new reality show come out, there is some good that can come out of them. In the end, reality TV is all about people. We can learn something from others in all walks of life, even if it’s watching them on TV.
