When I began the Really Reality TV assignment, it was just one I picked at semi-random that I thought would get my creative juices flowing for today. So I clicked on the Reality TV Show name generator, and the first couple options were boring or just didn’t capture my imagination. But then I got Going to the Myth, and I thought, “hey, I like mythology, this could be fun!” Boy was I in for a surprise.
When you do a Google search for “going to the myth”, the fifth option is a Cracked article on alcohol myths, and the tenth is on myths about introverts. At first this struck me as a truly random combination of results and I had no idea what to do with it (and frankly, the juxtaposition of the two passages is a little odd). And then it occurred to me that although I’ve known a few people with substance abuse problems or all-out alcoholism who meet the stereotypes of the emotionally troubled or self-destructive alcoholic or a “party hard” fan who partied a little too hard, the majority have been people who use alcohol to overcome social anxiety. Heck, I’ve drunk a little too much before in situations in which I was nervous or felt like it would help me click with a group.
One thing that I have learned in life after college (and trust me, it took me a while to learn this) is that the people I have to get drunk to feel comfortable socializing with are not the people I want to be friends with. And I don’t enjoy “house parties” or bars – I can’t hear the conversations most of the time, and when I can, they usually aren’t interesting. I’d much rather hand out at a coffee shop, or invite a friend over for tea, and for meeting new people and making new friends there are lots of other ways to do it. You have to put in some effort, but in the end you end up finding friends who are a much better fit than those you find when drunk.
So that’s my PSA to all the people who drink to overcome social anxiety or awkwardness. A very different prologue than I had expected to write for a reality show called Going to the Myth. And now on to the show…
Show Description:
Considering that booze is one of the pillars of human civilization, it’s kind of shocking how little we know about it. For instance, we pointed out a while back that some popular misconceptions about alcohol persist despite being goddamned fatal.*
It can be terribly destructive for an Introvert to deny themselves in order to get along in an Extrovert-Dominant World. Like other minorities, Introverts can end up hating themselves and others because of the differences. If you think you are an Introvert, I recommend you research the topic and seek out other Introverts to compare notes. The burden is not entirely on Introverts to try and become “normal.” Extroverts need to recognize and respect us, and we also need to respect ourselves.**
Elevator Pitch:
How many people do you know who drink because it “loosens them up” and helps them “come out of their shell” or even turn into that mythical “life of the party”? In Going to the Myth, we follow one man’s struggle to overcome his shyness at parties and in the process enter into a battle with alcoholism that will change his life forever.
Tag Line: Do you really need to party hard? Can’t you just join a book club?
Text Sources:
*The 5 Most Ridiculous Drinking Myths You Probably Believe
Image Sources: Just shy (not antisocial) by George Kelly (“allaboutgeorge”), Alcohol Poisoning PSA Video Shoot by Stop Alcohol Deaths, Inc., Drinking Skills by FunGI_
