Issues raised by The Truman Show

           How would it feel to be watched every second, minute, hour, and day?  In the movie, The Truman Show, a rather strange story is told about Truman Eubanks. Everything from his birth on was secretly televised on national TV as a prime source of entertainment for people around the world. Eubanks was a star in this show that he knew nothing about. This movie shows the importance of media and how it can be considered an issue in modern-day society. Everything from the view of media, line between public and private, and the border between real life and performance all contribute to how much the role of media really impacts people and the ethics of reality TV. Although the show was entertainment to others, it showed the negative effects media can have one someone in the public eye.

The commentary and characters, specifically Marlon and Meryl, look at the show in a utopian view of media. Truman’s best friend, Marlon states, “It’s all true. It’s all real. Nothing here is fake. Nothing you see on this show is fake. It’s merely controlled.” Everything in the show is staged, making everyone an actor in which they perform the same task every day. Truman does not realize that and is forced to think that he lives in a perfect world. Meryl, his wife, believes the show is a “lifestyle” and “noble” life and even “a truly blessed one.” Halfway through the show, Truman sat in his car and noticed the same three people in the neighborhood: A woman walking, a man with flowers walking the other way, and a car with a dented front. To make matters believable, he showed Meryl the act happening and starts to believe something is up. Expectantly, as they try to leave, the people in the town block him from leaving the town of Sea Harbor Island because everyone including his own wife was afraid that Truman would find out the truth about the show going on around him. Many do not see the negative effects of media, but this movie is a direct example of invasion of privacy. 

According to Meryl, there is no line or difference between a private life and public life. Whether he liked it or not, Truman’s life was public for the world to see. Once he realized that he was being watched in his basement, he devised a plan to trick the producers of the show into thinking he was sleeping when in fact he was escaping to Fiji—the vacation spot he wanted to go to on the other side of the world. This is a prime example how important it is to have private life and public life kept separate. Another example would be when Truman tried to schedule a vacation to Fiji while he was at work and his boss caught him easily because he was being recorded. This made privacy nearly impossible.

 

Last but not least, I believe the ethics of reality TV should solely be based on reality and not just a script. Everyone was told exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. With this happening, Truman believed that his life was nothing less than ordinary. When Truman attempts to sails to Fiji, the creator of the show modifies the weather in an effort to stop him from finding out the truth. Fortunately enough, Truman finds out the truth and puts an end to the show forever.

In Conclusion, The Truman Show raised many issues such as, a view of a perfect life, the lack of privacy, and the ethics of reality TV as more of a business rather than entertainment. The show portrayed a young man being harassed in a way that led others to believe that he was crazy. I believe reality TV should only be about actual events in life. Life isn’t scripted; you don’t get to rewind it and you can’t pause it. To me, Truman’s life wasn’t reality, it was torture, and media biased. Truth, and the line between what’s right and what’s wrong, will always be an issue with the media, but no matter what, the media, and reality TV will never go away.