Sex and Everything Else on Big Brother

The world has shamelessly taken on the role of an “unpunished snoop” or “voyeur.”

As a “reality show,” Big Brother seeks to capture the viewer’s attention through the “glass eye,” showcasing the daily lives of others, their relationships, and their spaces, while capitalizing on the morbid curiosity or laughter that sexuality provokes—since most of society associates it with modesty or intimacy. The private is now public, and the public is no longer intimate. We live in a society that revels in the sensational and is rapidly “breaking free” from traditions—what years ago was considered marginal or wild behavior—so why deny it?…

Nowadays, we are beginning to see that the impulse of passion is associated with age and does not imply any judgment on a person’s morality, whether they are men or women, although the prejudice that women are “easy” still persists if their “edredoning” (secret sex, or a sexual encounter under the covers) is not followed by the partner formalizing the relationship.

Just like in a vast jungle, different ways of viewing reality intermingle, with completely disparate sensibilities, all spiced up by the human frailties we all share and arranged so that few profiles overlap.

“Big Brother” marked a turning point in television ten years ago and turned the world into a “voyeur”; by democratizing that concept, it has continued to evolve, reflecting everything from simple everyday life to a grand parade of extravagance.

An idea that Paül Romer, Patrick Scholtze, and John de Mol developed over the course of two years, which gave rise to this 24-hour reality TV genre and put to the test their ability to engage with the audience and create a global phenomenon with worldwide impact—and, incidentally, a particularly lucrative one at that.

The name “Big Brother” refers to the character in the novel *1984*, written by George Orwell in 1949, in which “Big Brother” is the all-seeing dictator who organizes society to alienate his potential rivals.

The first project was called DE GOUDEN KOOI (The Golden Cage).

It was based on BIOSPHERE 2, a study on the possible survival of the human race in a hostile environment, in complete isolation and confinement, which was conducted in Arizona in 1991; Big Brother added all the excitement of competition and tension to it.

After various formats, “BIG BROTHER” premiered in 1999 in the Netherlands; today, there are versions in more than 70 countries. Over the years, the shows have adapted their strategies to keep viewers on the edge of their seats and maintain their attention.

What captivates the audience is watching live the behavior, changes, and confrontations of several people locked up in the same house—whether or not they see themselves reflected in the events, and whether they take sides with one person or another. As a result, the show becomes part of their daily routine, complete with the resulting arguments and moments of joy, much like a sociological study.

It’s worth noting that the Big Brother cast is carefully selected, and although they tried to tell us they were ordinary people, that wasn’t exactly the case.

The sociological profiles of the majority of the population do not match those of the contestants on “Big Brother,” and this is partly why the show has been so successful in the nearly 67 countries where it has aired; we’ve seen everyone from priests struggling with their faith, prostitutes, strippers, hairy macho men, NEETs, and more pass through their houses….

The format is certainly very eye-catching, and its purpose is to generate excitement.

According to Endemol, “Big Brother” is a mirror of society, and in each country, the housemates reflect their own culture.

That is why “Big Brother” will always be revealing and interesting to viewers, and the show will always remain relevant.

Terms such as “confessional”… “nominations”… “edredoning”… actually took on new meanings in our vocabulary, and we quickly came to associate them with the show.

It’s yet another way to understand why things are the way they are—whether they’re terrible or wonderful.

Diversity is finally being taken into account on a large scale, and it will take us a few more centuries to become a species that gets along rather than being at odds with one another—but if we consider that the Greeks invented democracy a few summers ago, this looks promising…

Empathy is a virtue that sets us apart from other species, and it seems to be more prevalent among younger generations, but the question is whether this way of perceiving our surroundings without preconceived notions and with our own judgment is genetic or cultural. Only time will tell.