The Most Gen Z Show Out There; The Circle: A Social Media Competition

Do you think you could outsmart random people on social media for 100,000 dollars? If so then this might be the show for you. The Circle is a reality TV series tailored to Gen Zers but overall it’s a great watch. It takes the one thing we constantly indulge in and makes it live entertainment for viewers.

The point of the circle was to do a social experiment to see how people interact and form relationships based solely on online profiles all for the chance to win 100,000 dollars. Contestants live in an apartment building isolated from everyone else communicating exclusively through a social media app called "The Circle”. They can create a profile as themselves or a fake persona, and they rate each other based on their impressions. Top-rated players become influencers and can block other players, eliminating them from the game. Blocked players can still meet one other player in person, and the remaining players receive a video message after each blocking to reveal if the blocked player is real or fake. Throughout this challenge, you see the malice, deception, and manipulation that people exude daily on social media. The show observes how alliances form, break, and shift based on perceived popularity.

We are so used to social media that we ignore the damage that it does and the mistrust it results in. Every day we interact with people we don’t know on social media whether that is through likes or messaging them. Regardless of our consciousness while doing it we manipulate others all the time to get some sort of benefit (the only difference is that this time people are doing it for a lot of money). In real life some of us tend to become closer to people who have more sway or are considered “more popular” although just like in this game we get well-known and “popular” confused at times. 

This show is 100% a show for Gen Z and it showcases what our strengths are (when compared to the older generations; Millennials, Gen X). I think that everyone should watch it simply because it is an awesome show and you develop a strong connection and sense of pride with each contestant. Additionally, it can give you tips and tricks to help sway a conversation more in your direction to achieve your desired outcome.