Put up or turn off

Listen, I felt just as disgusting as you did watching what happened to Dean.

He is a sweet boy who did not deserve the worst few days of his life to be broadcast worldwide.

If you’re not caught up, Dean, one of the final four contestants left on The Bachelorette, went on his hometown date with contestant Rachel Lindsay. He had previously confided in her about how his family was destroyed when his mother died, and the premise of the “date” was meeting up for the first time in years with his estranged father.

It didn’t go well. Dean and his dad got into a fight, and then his dad left. But, Rachel to the rescue! The two had a very emotional talk, tears were shed, and they told each other they were both falling in love. Perfect, right? Until Rachel sent him packing in the rose ceremony.

Twitter was devastated. But the larger picture most seemed to be missing is, this is exactly what’s supposed to happen on The Bachelorette. It’s almost too obvious to write, but this show thrives on forcing people into uncomfortable situations and watching them unravel. Every episode teaser contains and at least two people crying, because that’s the whole point. So why was this over the line? Was it also over the line when someone told two women he was in love with them, knowing he’d have to destroy one of them? Or when the show just left a woman on an island? None of it is over the line, because there is no line.The producers know that they can put this group of humans through an emotional paper shredder and continue to make money, because heathens like you and me will keep watching.

So if you tweeted that you found the episode uncomfortable, gross or exploitative, and you plan to tune in next week, congratulations – you’ve given the producers firm monetary incentive to one-up themselves. The Bachelorette, like 98 per cent of reality television, exists to hurt people for your entertainment. The degree to which they hurt people is based on how many more viewers will tune in to watch than viewers who will be so repulsed as to turn off the TV and do something productive with our lives.

Based on how popular watching gladitorial combat was a few thousand years ago, I wouldn’t bet on human nature’s better side to prevail. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you need to make your peace or stop watching.

Basically, art is a mirror and we’re all scum. Get in loser, we’re going to hell.