"The Culture of Love and Romance In the Media"

As I sat back and considered what to write about for my post, I thought “what keeps getting thrown in my face every time I turn on my television or enter a movie theatre?”

Then it hit me, “love and romance” are everywhere. From the thirty second tidbit about gum involving multiple women chasing after a man because of his pearly whites, to the romantic comedies of every season like “The Proposal” one is bombarded with popular views on the ups and downs of relationships.

Many writers and producers have taken notice of society’s obsession with seeing love stories unfold in multiple ways. Reality shows are a perfect example of this observation manifested in the physical. Shows like “The Bachelor,” “More to Love,” and “Dating in the Dark” take the classic approach. These shows send cast members to go on multiple dates, holding the premise that as each person entering the situation is prepared for something long term, providing the resources for a great time will result in a love story that North America and the rest of the world will relate to. While this is satisfactory for the female population, not too many men feel the need to sit back and watch two individuals acting overly affectionate for one another only to break up few weeks after the show is completed.

For these individuals, shows like “Entourage” and “The Real World”, offer an alternative. “Entourage” is based on the everyday lives of four distinct male characters who are involved in the entertainment industry as actors or agents. One joins them on their journey towards stardom and watches them pass time with numerous casual relationships with beautiful women that are usually strictly physical. “The Real World” incorporates multiple personalities into one house and films their every move, most of which involves partying and physical relationships with complete strangers, while they attempt to fulfill their lifelong dreams in the location that they’ve been placed.

I believe that these shows epitomize McLuhan’s theory that “the medium is the message.” In understanding that today’s society is very visually inclined, these television shows play into our desire to see people overcome difficult situations to find true happiness and bliss, even if such an ideal cannot be achieved in the short time period that these television shows are filmed. The use of scenes from the upcoming week’s episodes creates suspense and warrants the need to stay tuned to the television show on a weekly basis. Also, because of the “cool” nature of television, drama must continually ensue to keep the viewer interested.

At the end of the day, it is pretty clear to see that humanity is addicted to relationships, especially those of a complex nature. From the time of Shakespeare to now, people irrespective of cultural background have understood and promoted the universal of love and they continue to extend their affection in different ways.

Sammy Kyereme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYUL12fappM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPgZcW8MCaA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhKjgX_4ncs