If life in general isn’t confusing enough, consider “scripted” and “unscripted” reality, as in TV shows.

For example, the wildly popular “Duck Dynasty” series is “scripted” reality, which means the colorful Louisiana family at the heart of the series is made funnier, quirkier and more interesting because the show’s producers give them a script to follow complete with storyline and funny banter.

It’s the Robertson clan, yes, but it’s not. It’s a funnier, quirkier and more interesting Robertson clan. If the show was an “unscripted” reality show the Robertsons would appear more like your family and mine. There wouldn’t be that many funny, colorful people and the quirky things would probably have to be culled, like Uncle Crafton’s peeping Tom episode and that restraining order the late actor Robert Culp filed against cousin Azalea back in the 1960s. Indeed, the whole show would have to be culled due to lack of viewer interest.

It would be depressing too. Instead of the show ending in the “scripted” version with the whole family gathered in perfect accord around the table, the patriarch blessing the food in good ol’ down-home fashion, your family and mine would be sidestepping old family landmines and wounds, complaining about Obamacare on one hand and listening to everybody’s ailments on the other. The kids at the “Duck Dynasty” table are polite, respectful to the adults, and seem to be happy to be with the older folk. Need I say more about how “scripted” reality differs from the real thing?

That raises another question: How much reality can an “unscripted” reality show show if there’s a camera in the room all the time? Take the show “Naked and Afraid,” where a male and female contestant (fools) are put in swamps and jungles without food and clothes to test their survival skills. Naked is naked; I’ll grant you that. But how afraid are you when there is a small camera crew following you around in the jungle and swamp and filming your trials and tribulations? Not as afraid as you’d be without a camera crew and you’re a naked woman with Uncle Crafton as your survival partner.

My personal understanding of these questions runs thusly: First, we Americans are losing touch with reality. We’re so tired of real reality that we prefer scripted reality, which is what we get on a daily basis. Scripted reality makes us feel better. Even when we’re naked and the camera is on us, it’s good to know somebody is watching our every move, ready to pluck us out of the piranha-choked river. We’ve gotten use to the big eye on us and catching us in the buff. Secondly, we’re not so much looking for a satisfying ending or conclusion; we’re satisfied to follow the storyline; watch them try to catch the Big Green Booger Thing With Gnashing Teeth. When they don’t, so what? It was just more scripted reality to keep us entertained.

Bob Morgan is a retired, award-winning journalist and an author.