Are Reality TV Shows Misrepresenting Antique Collecting?

  • Thread starter Thread starter turbo
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the portrayal of antique collecting in reality TV shows, particularly focusing on "Auction Hunters," "Pawn Stars," and "Storage Wars." Participants express their views on how these shows misrepresent the antique collecting community and the value of items, as well as their overall dissatisfaction with the content and quality of such programming.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants criticize "Auction Hunters" for misrepresenting the value of antiques, particularly regarding the claim that old guns are worth more if they can fire, which they argue is incorrect.
  • Others express disdain for the producers of these shows, suggesting they lack understanding of what collectors truly value in antiques.
  • There are mixed feelings about "Pawn Stars," with some participants arguing that the show presents inaccurate historical claims about firearms.
  • Some find "Storage Wars" entertaining despite its questionable representation of antique collecting, noting humorous moments and unexpected finds.
  • A few participants express a general frustration with reality TV, suggesting that many shows are poorly conceived and lack substance.
  • There are comments about the decline in quality of channels like TLC and Discovery, with participants mentioning other shows that they find equally unappealing.
  • Some participants advocate for alternatives to reality TV, such as PBS programming, which they find more informative and enjoyable.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on their dissatisfaction with the portrayal of antique collecting in reality TV shows, but there are differing opinions on the entertainment value of specific programs. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the impact of these shows on public perceptions of antique collecting.

Contextual Notes

Participants express concerns about the accuracy of information presented in these shows and the potential influence on viewers' understanding of antiques. There are references to specific inaccuracies and misrepresentations, but no consensus on the overall impact of these shows is reached.

  • #31
Want a REAL Ice-Road Trucker? When I was a kid, my uncle and his partner managed to get cutting rights on woodland that was inaccessible by road. They cut that wood-lot in the dead of winter. Every day for weeks, they'd chop parallel lines of holes in the ice on top of Pierce Pond to thicken the ice on a road that they iced themselves. When they thought it was safe enough, they'd drive their Cat dozer across the pond, and their old Chevy Wheeler. My uncle used to make the pulp runs with the truck while his partner kept cutting and stacking pulp-wood to load for the next run. I asked him if he was scared of driving a loaded pulp truck across the ice, and he told me that before he'd head out with a load, he'd open the windows, and rope both doors open. Pretty scary.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
Pythagorean said:
SyFy sucks now too... "Ghost Hunters"

I think a great cross over would be for HGTV or DIY network to come into a house after the Ghost hunters and do an energy audit and seal up all of the gaps to the outside. Then have the Ghost hunters do a follow up. Where did all the spirits go??
 
  • #33
turbo-1 said:
Want a REAL Ice-Road Trucker? When I was a kid, my uncle and his partner managed to get cutting rights on woodland that was inaccessible by road. They cut that wood-lot in the dead of winter. Every day for weeks, they'd chop parallel lines of holes in the ice on top of Pierce Pond to thicken the ice on a road that they iced themselves. When they thought it was safe enough, they'd drive their Cat dozer across the pond, and their old Chevy Wheeler. My uncle used to make the pulp runs with the truck while his partner kept cutting and stacking pulp-wood to load for the next run. I asked him if he was scared of driving a loaded pulp truck across the ice, and he told me that before he'd head out with a load, he'd open the windows, and rope both doors open. Pretty scary.

Someone is lucky to have cousins! :bugeye:

@Argentum: :smile: I would watch that, or better...

...get a serious SFX house (non CGI) to make an incredible haunted house, with actors, torrents of "blood" down stairs, etc... and just scare the spinal column out of those "hunters". :devil:
 
  • #34
nismaratwork said:
Someone is lucky to have cousins! :bugeye:
One of my cousins was the project director for the last Hubble upgrade. I can never tell what contractor that he's working for, and I won't disclose that one. He has at least as much street rep and upward mobility as I do. His father is the one who trucked loads of pulp-wood across a remote pond.
 
  • #35
turbo-1 said:
One of my cousins was the project director for the last Hubble upgrade. I can never tell what contractor that he's working for, and I won't disclose that one. He has at least as much street rep and upward mobility as I do. His father is the one who trucked loads of pulp-wood across a remote pond.

That's a bit of upward mobility for you, wow. Well, again, really good thing that your uncle was good at his job, or that's one cousin who would never have been born.
 
  • #36
lisab said:
I have an 18-year-old daughter who lives most of the time at college now. When she was a younger kid, there was a TV in the house but she almost never watched. She just wasn't interested - had other hobbies, like piano or reading. When she became a teenager, sometimes she'd watch C-SPAN (seriously).

So she never really missed TV, but I admit any teen who watches C-SPAN for fun is not typical.

I have 4 kids - oldest is 21, youngest 12. I've tried on several occassions to exorcise our house of the Tee Vee, but alas, unsuccessfully, particularly as the wife like to watch one or two of those dreaded mind numbing shows as well.

Still, they turned out (and are turning out) great. But I do lament the wasted hours of ones life in front of the idiot box. I'm often heard running around the house yelling "get your face out of that stupid screen" ..
 
  • #37
We still have TV, though I rarely watch any made-for-TV shows. My wife tuned in Runaway Jury earlier and it's running now. Good movie.
 
  • #38
Pythagorean said:
SyFy sucks now too... "Ghost Hunters"

That isn't science fiction? I can hardly think of a better example! :biggrin:
 
  • #39
While I do object to the pseudoscience in the Ghost Hunters show, I actually like the fact they are at least trying to document claims. And they don't claim to be scientists. They claim to be plumbers doing the best they can to address a subject that science wont.

Scientists always object to such claims by saying, "where's the evidence?". So a group attempts to get evidence, and everyone complains about it. How is this not hypocritical?
 
  • #40
Ivan Seeking said:
That isn't science fiction? I can hardly think of a better example! :biggrin:
My thoughts, too. At least it's not running on the History Channel.
 
  • #41
Ivan Seeking said:
While I do object to the pseudoscience in the Ghost Hunters show, I actually like the fact they are at least trying to document claims. And they don't claim to be scientists. They claim to be plumbers doing the best they can to address a subject that science wont.

Scientists always object to such claims by saying, "where's the evidence?". So a group attempts to get evidence, and everyone complains about it. How is this not hypocritical?

Simple, they don't attempt to use a methodology which investigates claims, rather they attempt to put on a show when the wind blows. Far from helping this possible cause of paranormal investigation, it's a mockery of it, a disservice, and misleading about just what is scientific and evidenciary.
 
  • #42
nismaratwork said:
Simple, they don't attempt to use a methodology which investigates claims, rather they attempt to put on a show when the wind blows. Far from helping this possible cause of paranormal investigation, it's a mockery of it, a disservice, and misleading about just what is scientific and evidenciary.

I would call extensive full-spectrum imaging and audio a legitimate form of investigation. They do have tons of equipment now. And they do actually debunk many reports. I've seen them identify a few rather pexplexing illusions.
 
  • #43
Ivan Seeking said:
I would call extensive full-spectrum imaging and audio a legitimate form of investigation. They do have tons of equipment now. And they do actually debunk many reports. I've seen them identify a few rather pexplexing illusions.

I've seen them lose bowel control around creaky floorbords, and endless natter about the "EM FIELD" and "cold spots". I'm as impressed by them as I am by a parakeet that asks for seeds. A lack of serious investigation is not an excuse for shoddy work in the service of ratings.
 
  • #44
nismaratwork said:
I've seen them lose bowel control around creaky floorbords, and endless natter about the "EM FIELD" and "cold spots". I'm as impressed by them as I am by a parakeet that asks for seeds. A lack of serious investigation is not an excuse for shoddy work in the service of ratings.

All true. And on occasion a new helper will freak out. As I said, they are plumbers doing their best to address claims that science won't. If the are not matching the standards for science, one can hardly blame them or claim ill intentions. If a scientist thinks they need to change something, then I say join the group. At least they are making the effort. And to say they are completely bias in the presentation is simply untrue. They do explain many claims. They know all about creaky floorboards. That is not a reasonable objection.

Also, they are invited to do these investigations.

I am only talking about the Ghost Hunters here. There are other groups and shows that are another story completely.
 
  • #45
Ivan Seeking said:
All true. And on occasion a new helper will freak out. As I said, they are plumbers doing their best to address claims that science won't. If the are not matching the standards for science, one can hardly blame them or claim ill intentions. If a scientist thinks they need to change something, then I say join the group. At least they are making the effort. And to say they are completely bias in the presentation is simply untrue. They do explain many claims. They know all about creaky floorboards. That is not a reasonable objection.

Also, they are invited to do these investigations.

I am only talking about the Ghost Hunters here. There are other groups and shows that are another story completely.

Ahhhhh... I thought we were talking about the whole coterie of ghost hunter shows...

I'm not qualified (not viewed it through) to judge that one show.

One thing I would say generally: science DOES investigate this, a lot... it's just something that is either beyond current science to reasonably confirm or deny, and has been for so long it's become fringe. That could be a faillure of science, or it could be a failure of the phenomenon; more so as alternative explanations emerge.

Then you have things like ball lightning, which we'd LOVE to explore, but can't because the damned thing is so evasive.