Could 'Rock of Love' boost your career?

Jake says: (Note: Like Arnold in Terminator 2, I recognize and accept that I am going to get killed this time.) If reality characters had their professional lives in order like newsworthy characters in the paper, they wouldn't have time to flirt with Bret Michaels or kayak around the world on The Amazing Race. The beauty of reality TV is that we get to witness the struggles of young people who lack direction. We get to learn from and laugh at their mistakes. We learn that it's okay to be vaguely ambitious. And we learn that it's not okay to swim naked in a fish tank (on camera) like Isaac did in The Real World: Sydney, as that could affect your chances of landing a real job in the future.

Nadira says: It's clear reality TV can show you which direction not to go, so please, for the love of all things holy, do not look to reality TV to plan your life. Instead, open your favorite newspaper -- in print or online -- and read it all. Use the real-estate listings to plan your future as a homeowner, the style section to transition from college chic to yo-pro appropriate. Oh, and consider scanning the actual news, since the kind of person you want to become would probably like to know at least as much about American politics as about Celebreality.

More galleries