# Is a "truman show" possible? or Are you in a "(your name here) show"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 24, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220 "2001-10-24T01:44:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Anubis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Anubis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anubis)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/21 "2001-10-26T00:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\* > Actually, the world is really a big computer designed to figure out the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything. > > (The answer is 42. They know that already.) \*\* Damn. I was gonna say that. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/22 "2001-10-26T00:11:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > \*\*Well, if I am in such a show, I guess someone got good footage of me chasing my escaping dog through my yard, my neighbor’s yard, down our road, and tackling her 3 feet from the highway while cars drove by. I can run faster than I would have thought. Damn dog. \*\* Worst.episode.ever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/23 "2001-10-26T00:47:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heresiarch \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > > \*\*Well, if I am in such a show, I guess someone got good footage of me chasing my escaping dog through my yard, my neighbor’s yard, down our road, and tackling her 3 feet from the highway while cars drove by. I can run faster than I would have thought. Damn dog. \*\* > > Worst.episode.ever. > > 😃 \*\* Did I mention the show would be “America’s stupidest home videos”? I think I’d make it to the final 3. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/24 "2001-10-26T02:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Speaker for the Dead \* > \*\*The question is _What do you get when you muliply six by nine_, IIRC. \*\* Actually, I’m pretty sure it’s “How many roads must a man walk down?” 1. Makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/25 "2001-10-26T02:28:28Z")
If my life was a movie it would be a snuff film, because I’d die at the end. But seriously, I think the premise of The Truman Show is possible, it just depends on how unethical someone is willing to be with another human being. I DON’T think having an entire town indoors and the child knowing about the “world at large” is possible. The child would have to be raised thinking its limited envionment was all there was, and there was nothing to leave it for. Maybe set him on an enclosed set surrounded by a huge refrigerator, and tell him he’s in outer space. I think one of the problems in real life would be the way the people who interact with the subject (Truman) would affect him. It’s impossible to be acting ALL the time. Their behavior would give the whole thing away eventually, as it did in the movie. But that’s assuming the child was raised with the knowledge that there are things beyond the horizon. My space-station example might solve some of those problems. ---
**Author:** ![ferrisgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e5b9ba/32.png) [@ferrisgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ferrisgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220/26 "2001-10-26T03:28:40Z")
yes, there are cameras watching me. there is also a small troop of people with clipboards judging my hair, wardrobe, and all lame attempts to be cool. (have you ever watched someone who thinks everyone is watching them? it’s the most obnoxious thing ever.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-truman-show-possible-or-are-you-in-a-your-name-here-show/89220.md?page=1)