# Do YOU suffer from "Truman Syndrome?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 26, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584 "2008-11-26T18:33:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/1 "2008-11-26T18:33:03Z")
I read [this](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27893935/)article first in my local paper, then tracked it down online. Basically, it states that an increasing population is convinced that they are on some sort of staged reality show, documenting their entire lives a la the 1998 hit _The Truman Show_ starring Jim Carrey. Now, after watching this movie myself nearly a decade ago, the thought crossed my mind. It would be more interesting than unnerving. No, I don’t believe my life is being taped, but if it was, isn’t that what the producers of the show would want me to think? Perhaps every one of your friends and family is an actor. Perhaps your life’s events have been crafted by a team of writers. Perhaps this is a controlled environment, a stage, with you as the star. It’s impractical and would seem like a great waste of resources, but who knows. Maybe I’m just an actor that’s trying to make light of the situation so that you let your guard down, dismissing the idea as foolish. Frankly, I think people that honestly think they are secretly being filmed for some sick reality show think too highly of themselves. Why would we pick you, Joe Schmoe, as the star? What the hell would the writers do during sweeps week? Write in the death of a loved one? You win the lottery? You get in a horrible car wreck? The economy around you collapses? Your dog runs away? Blah. Get over yourself. This has turned into a quasi-rant. But please weigh in on the initial topic! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/2 "2008-11-26T18:39:26Z")
Ah damn, you edited; I thought the post was meant to end on ‘horrible’. As for that whole Truman Show thing, I always thought that nobody ever would want to do such a thing, mainly because it would be utterly, irredeemably, mind-bogglingly boring. Even so called interesting people do boring shit most of the day when they’re by themselves. Just taking myself as an example – what kind of masochistic fuck could watch me wasting three hours surfing the net without wanting to gauge out their eyes in frustration? And most days for most people mainly consist of things like that. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/3 "2008-11-26T18:47:02Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Ah damn, you edited; I thought the post was meant to end on ‘horrible’. Haha, yeah, I’m using a laptop and accidentally grazed the touch pad, hit the tab key, and clicked “Submit” prematurely. I’m really not even sure how that happened so quickly. > [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > As for that whole Truman Show thing, I always thought that nobody ever would want to do such a thing, mainly because it would be utterly, irredeemably, mind-bogglingly boring. Even so called interesting people do boring shit most of the day when they’re by themselves. Just taking myself as an example – what kind of masochistic fuck could watch me wasting three hours surfing the net without wanting to gauge out their eyes in frustration? And most days for most people mainly consist of things like that. Agreed. And what about people in different time zones watching this (if possible). Like, people on the other side of the world would be watching this “Truman” sleep for eight hours. During prime time, the Truman would be sipping coffee and reading the newspaper in a bathrobe. That’s great television. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/4 "2008-11-26T18:56:27Z")
Oh gosh, it just keeps getting better. This excerpt from Wiki: > [@](#): > > Joel Gold, director of psychiatrics at the Bellevue Hospital Center, revealed that by 2008, he had met five patients with schizophrenia (and heard of another twelve) who believed their lives were reality television shows. Gold named the syndrome after the film, and attributed the particular delusion to a world that had become publicity hungry. Gold stated some patients were rendered happy by their disease, while “others were tormented. **One came to New York to check whether the World Trade Center had actually fallen – believing 9/11 to be an elaborate plot twist in his personal storyline. Another came to climb the Statue of Liberty, believing that he’d be reunited with his high-school girlfriend at the top, and finally be released from the ‘show’**.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/5 "2008-11-26T19:01:38Z")
> [@Hi\_Neighbor](#): > > Frankly, I think people that honestly think they are secretly being filmed for some sick reality show think too highly of themselves. (snip) Get over yourself. Reread the article. The subjects of it are all psychiatric patients. You think you’d know that after all the time you spent reading it. I got so incredibly bored to tears, I changed the channel. Let us know when you’re going to do something interesting so we can tune in again. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/6 "2008-11-26T19:12:12Z")
It can’t be as bad as the Gregor Samsa syndrome. I mean, what do you do with all these extra legs? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/7 "2008-11-26T19:13:55Z")
> [@KRC](#): > > It can’t be as bad as the Gregor Samsa syndrome. I mean, what do you do with all these extra legs? You could polish your frosted glass. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/8 "2008-11-26T19:30:22Z")
For a lot of people, documenting their lives on Facebook and/or Myspace is the equivalent of being the lead actor in a reality show. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/9 "2008-11-26T19:35:05Z")
When I saw the movie I thought this would happen and even increase over time. Look at the broader method of how people perceive their lives. The idea that karma will bitch-slap you down is prevalent in most religions in some form. How many times have people verbalized “what did I do to deserve this” in a casual conversation. Add to that the internet where you can type in your address and see a satellite image of your house along with a street view taken from a car and it’s a syndrome begging for a move title. It becomes life imitating art. God forbid you live in a major city like London where there are cameras on EVERY corner. For all practical purposes, everybody is an actor on the Truman show. There really is a Big Brother and he’s watching you. No need to imagine it’s real on some level. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/10 "2008-11-26T20:48:36Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > For all practical purposes, everybody is an actor on the Truman show. In that case, _some_body owes me a paycheck… ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/11 "2008-11-26T20:52:50Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > In that case, _some_body owes me a paycheck… Haha, yes, but to get down to it, each actor in The Truman Show probably got a house, car, clothes, etc. Each activity they did was intricately scripted, right down to going out to the pub with a few mates. Each action and every “prop” involved in that action would have to be provided by the studio. Essentially, all actors would be provided with necessities for their roles. Whoever was chosen to play the role for crazy old homeless man who must live in a pile of his own excrement got the short end of the stick. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/12 "2008-11-26T20:59:38Z")
This is why you aren’t supposed to do the brown acid. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/13 "2008-11-26T22:26:13Z")
I’ve wanted all week to find a thread where I could use the word “solipsism” in context. So…um…solipsism. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/14 "2008-11-26T22:42:05Z")
You (we) could be in a very cleverly done simulation where a bunch of people are spectating on our lives a la 3rd person mode in your favorite 3D video game… ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/15 "2008-11-26T23:28:17Z")
I have sometimes wondered if I’m the only person who really exists and the whole of reality is just a big simulation built around me by some outside force to see how I react to things. I mean, that’s _probably_ not the case, but you never know… ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/16 "2008-11-27T01:54:28Z")
That’s solipism, which is what \*\*OneCentStamp \*\*referenced above. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/17 "2008-11-27T02:23:18Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > This is why you aren’t supposed to do the brown acid. This wins the thread. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/18 "2008-11-27T03:17:11Z")
Mental patients are funny! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/19 "2008-11-27T03:19:35Z")
> [@Vox\_Imperatoris](#): > > This wins the thread. > > Valete, > Vox Imperatoris Woot! Don’t think I ever won a Dope thread before today. updates resume ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584/20 "2008-11-27T03:57:55Z")
Oh, come on! That’s ridiculous! Wait, there was that time I disappeared for a couple of hours as a teenager & my mother freaked out to a surprising degree. Hurm. Then again, my mother is insane. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-suffer-from-truman-syndrome/474584.md?page=2)