Chantelle Singson TV Shows and Their Power Suppose you were in a store and a customer started acting hostile towards another customer for being too flamboyant. You were shocked and debated whether or not to help control the situation, but then decided to stand up for the victimized customer. Minutes later a TV crew comes out with their hidden cameras and the hosts asked you questions about what just happened and why you did what you did. This is very common, especially in America. There are people for or against TV shows like these— people like writers Michelle Nguyen and Stephanie Takematsu. In America, TV shows constantly expose citizens of their true colors, whether it’s pretty or ugly, with the use of hidden cameras. People enjoy seeing the possibilities of what the person, that’s in the TV show’s choice of situation with the use of actors, may or may not do. “…Lately, our culture of YouTube and reality TV has become more voyeuristic than any other point in memory, resulting in a new breed of hidden camera programs,” (Nguyen, ¶ 4). In Nothing Wrong with Shaming the Shameless, the writer, Michelle Nguyen, argues that TV shows are trying to convince people and their unpopular opinion on a certain topic to change their mind by shaming or with peer pressure. “If we want to reverse racism, homophobia, sexism, and other similar ills, one of the …show more content…
Michelle Nguyen’s side states that TV shows can show how people, that are indecent or have an unpopular opinion, can change and become more accepting. Stephanie Takematsu’s side states that TV shows only use their show to expose people that can be dramatic and indecent towards others, just so the show can get higher views. Both writers do agree that TV shows can be unethical and unfair. However, it’s what they want to do with the unethicalness and unfairness that puts a wedge into this debate where Nguyen encourages them and Takematsu wants to shame