What Temptation Island Is Teaching Me
So for anyone who has followed me for any length of time, they may be disappointed to discover that a semi-respected researcher…myself…with quality info that was able to help me out of my deep challenges and may pave the way for the reader to do the same…
…watches reality TV.
Welp; I do.
To an extent.
My brain is on all the time. I’m constantly thinking, analyzing, searching for answers.
I need something to help shut off my mind and wind down before bed each night.
I do that with occasional (almost mindless) entertainment.
Such as a reality show here and there.
But I still can’t escape my need to analyze everything.
So my favorites are some of the more educational reality shows on HGTV, but also include the borderline mindless options like Below Deck, Summer House, and the extra-guilty pleasure of Temptation Island.
The latter of which is actually a pretty disgusting show if I’m honest.
So it amounts to a sorta morbid curiosity.
BUT…from which I’ve been able to gleen some interesting psychological analysis, and discover some fascinating insights into the nature of male/female dynamics.
As I said, my brain is on all the time, so I’m always trying to learn something new no matter what the source.
It’s a Gross Concept, With Often Gross Outcomes
For those unfamiliar, the idea is that four couples go to an isoated island, the men and women are separated into two different parts of the island, and do not have access to internet/social media, TV, etc for a month.
The group of men are introduced to a bunch of sexy and alluring SINGLE women.
And the women are introduced to a bunch of sexy and alluring SINGLE men.
And we watch as the mayhem ensues.
Quite an interesting concept.
At the very least it’s intriguing, and at the very worst it’s voyeuristic and a little bit sadistic.
Right up my alley.
;p
So the viewer obviously comes to the show from a male or female perspective.
And western society seems to be dealing with what I would define as a “gender war” in our current culture.
I think things are an absolute mess. And I’ll definitely elaborate on this topic in other blog entries. This site is about wellness/fitness/fat loss, all of which certainly tie into sex and relationships.
There is a ton of hatred going in both directions, between the “manosphere,” and the feminist.
And I was very curious to see how that would play out under such unusual and contrived circumstances.
I am male. So I am biased. I am going to have to resist spewing any popular opinions coming from a male perspective, and believe me, I’m very tempted-pun to do so.
Instead, I’ll just report on what I’m seeing that applies to both sexes, how I personally would view things as a male not speaking for any other, and what I’ve found most interesting about the whole experiment.
We will for now go on the assumption that much of what we see is not staged…meaning, that what ends up happening is at least *mostly* authentic, in as far as the interpersonal relationships go.
The breakups I’ve wintessed so far, and the new relationships formed and maintained on social media, seem pretty legit, as do the circumstances and emotions involved in their development and maintenance.
“How Am I Going To Be Around Half Naked Woman and Resist Temptation??”
A personal note: I’ve never been in a “long” term relationship, by my definition anyway. Never married, no kids, and no intimate relationship that ever went beyond a year and a half.
It’d be awesome if that were not judged, but I know it is. It’s simply been the way my life evolved, and I have absolutely no regrets, but while having both loved being single and at times wished I’d had a longer term partner.
Obviously the latter isn’t as important to me, else I’d do something about it.
That said, I can only imagine how some of the men put in the position of Temptation would react to it, because I’ve never been in most of their positions. If I recall, among the shortest relationships on the show were still a solid year and a half long. Some were many years long (one that comes to mind was over 7 years).
But I noticed something interesting happening, and happening fairly readily:
People would form connections.
They’d form bonds.
And I knew this was going to happen. I was just interested in seeing how it would pan out.
(I struggled with these two the most)
It seems we can put total strangers together and tribes and bonds can form very easily, very often. I’m convinced it’s just a part of the human condition.
Since these people are on TV, they’re also likely sociable by nature.
How can we put sociable people together and NOT form bonds.
And THEN…can the bonds BE EVEN STRONGER and more POTENT than the bond we already have.
What an unwanted question.
I think Temptation Island answers it.
With a HUGE…”YES.”
We watch it happen on the show.
These wonderful close couples go on, meet someone new, have either an emotional bonding or a physical one…or of course both…and if the person is half-human guilt begins to creep in, and then it’s a matter of whether the desire for the other person takes it to the next level in only one direction, that of betrayal of the person that you (supposedly?) love.
And it is so easy to judge them, isn’t it?
The show is bound to make us all a bit uncomfortable and perhaps insecure. Interesting how this follows the theme of so much social media today.
ANYWAY…
