The couch science research centre made a breakthrough this week.
Since reality shows were unleashed on an unsuspecting world, their extraordinary appeal has been a mystery. What is it about them that keeps millions of viewers glued to ‒ all things considered ‒ inane, ugly and stupid behaviour in a house, on an island or the goings-on of obnoxious families? It’s an enormous investment in time and emotion for an unrequited relationship.
It’s all down to Fomo.
The social phenomenon of fear of missing out keeps millions of people doomscrolling on social media. It has intrigued, but never been caught on, the couch. Immunity was achieved by fear of infection by venom, hatred, anger, outrage, racism, misogyny, corruption, lies and misinformation. Pre-Covid, you could visit people you love. In the pandemic era, you can use the phone, email or video call if you must. Don’t video call me ‒ my PJs are not pretty, just pretty damned comfy.
But here’s a public service announcement: if you get hooked on a reality show, Fomo is a thing. I now “get” it and have a bad case.
The essence of reality shows: if you have even the slightest interest in any aspect of the show you are hooked by, you have to know what happens next.
This understanding stirred with the arrival of a lovely book called Photo Tales: Wildlife Photo Stories From Africa. It is a collection of photographs from amateur photographers who have been in the right place, at the right time and with a camera at the ready.
There are many beautiful wildlife coffee table books filled with astonishing pictures, but what makes this book so gripping is each picture or sequence of pictures tells you a story. It’s one you will go back to over and over to gasp again at the beauty and brutality of nature. And the luck and serendipity of being there to capture it. And being told the outcomes.
Collated by Heinrich, Philip and Ingrid van de Berg and Ronel Bouwer, it encapsulates people’s need to read about, watch or listen to stories; their curiosity about what happened next.
It led me to understanding my Fomo. WildEarth is, essentially, a reality show. But the stars are the animals you learn to understand. As a newbie, I have missed out on much of the history of these beautiful creatures. Now that I have Fomo and never miss a safari (many on repeat or recordings because the boss wants some stuff done), I am watching these stories being made.
Seeing the cubs and pups and calves. Feeling the sadness when they don’t make it, but the joy of watching them grow as they do. The territorial movements of the leopards, lions, cheetah, hyena. Who their parents are and who they fight and mate with. The bateleur chick called Bathilda: he/she will only reveal its gender when it gets its adult plumage at about 6 years. Grappling with the “can’t look” hunting thing. Thankfully, being live and mobile, the lovely presenters are seldom at the scene when it happens.
The breakthrough is a relief. Now I understand why I can’t miss a drive. And it’s some comfort to know many of these wonderful creatures will outlast me and my Fomo.
- Lindsay Slogrove is the news editor.
The Independent on Saturday