After a long, stressful day in our fast-paced society, nothing beats coming home and turning on your favorite reality competition show. An uncanny set, comical challenges and a cast that is completely shut off from the real world—how mind-numbing. 

As a viewer, the desire to escape the monotony of life makes immersing yourself into a false reality feel comforting. For contestants, however, the immersion is far from comfortable and comes at a price: sacrificing your own reality. 

The show “Big Brother” is the pinnacle of manufactured realities. Inspired by George Orwell’s dystopian novel, “1984,” where citizens are perpetually surveilled by cameras they refer to as “Big Brother,” the show follows a similar premise. 16 “houseguests” from completely different careers and lifestyles are placed in a strategically designed space and forced to coexist, all while having no contact to the outside world—and that’s not even the crazy part. Guests are filmed 24/7 by 94 cameras that can be accessed live by fans through their website. 

Each week, the houseguests must vote to eliminate someone. Of course, the prize is worth ruffling a few feathers for: a whopping $750,000. 

While speaking with Lisa Weintraub, “Big Brother” Season 26 houseguest, she explained the show “… obviously has a lot of lying, manipulation and moral compass conflicts.” Alliances form, some genuine but many with ulterior motives. From day one, guests must always be aware their new friends may be looking at them as pawns in their journey to the prize. 

“You leave that world, but pieces of that world and that experience and what that felt like to experience it is still with you,” said Lisa, whose game strategy of trying to win over the house with glitter and home-cooked meals failed, making her the second houseguest to be eliminated. 

Lisa explained that after leaving the house, she was “hyper aware of mannerisms and conversations,” often leading her to think people were “big brothering” her, as she put it. 

Not only does the distrust and constant surveillance create an atmosphere of anxiety, but the structure of the house itself is built with uncomfortability in mind. 

In the video “How Reality Houses are Built to Break People,” architectural designer Stewart Hicks explains the diabolical tricks architects use when constructing reality houses like “Big Brother.” The designs follow three principles: division, encapsulation and disruption.

Division 

Each week, the winner of the Head of Household (HOH) challenge is awarded privileges to the master bedroom and must choose one guest to join them in having the “absolute powers to surveillance” over the house. While they live in comfort, the other guests are confined to one shared bedroom and crippled with paranoia, unsure of who is watching and listening. 

Encapsulation 

From extreme privacy in the sound-proof diary room to totally public living areas, the show thrusts contestants into an “intimacy paradox.” 

Disruption

The absence of corners in the house forces guests to the center of cameras and provides no areas to hide, instigating a loss of privacy and any “latent potential for conflict.” 

When stripped down and analyzed, reality houses mirror torture chambers. So, why do we love them so much? 

In ancient Rome, gladiator fights were the most coveted form of entertainment—watching people fight to the death leaving one victorious; sound familiar? 

While there are no physical casualties in “Big Brother,” there are emotional ones. We watch guests break down and fight paranoia for our own entertainment. 

“I would totally go on again,” said Lisa, proving the allure of TV and grand prizes are stronger than the sacrifices the show calls for … either that, or it’s Stockholm syndrome.