Are soaps dumbing down or do they reflect social realism?

There is an argument that soap operas nowadays are 'junk TV' due to the fact that they are easy to follow and are limited in stimulation of the mind. Although, others have said that they are examples of realism, reflecting the society they depict by tacking social issues head on in a dramatic form.

Negatives:

• They do not demand any intellectual activity on the part of the viewer because they are 'easy viewing'/
• They trivialise social issues.
• They are ridiculously far-fetched due to the incredible number of incidents which are constantly happening to a small minority of people within a small community.
• They encourage us to see life in very simple, black and white ways.
• The tabloid press focus so heavily on events in soaps that people lose sight of the distinction between reality and television, characters and actors/actresses.

Positives:

• They reflect the society in which we live in and encourage us to reflect on our own lives and attitudes.
• They can be seen as social documents as watching a soap from an earlier time period can serve as an historical document.
• They are hugely popular due to the fact that they are relevant to the lives of the audience.
• They depict ordinary people, different genders, and people from different ethnic backgrounds in a positive way.
• They deal with issues such as euthanasia and homosexuality in a responsible and positive way, leading us to be more enlightened in our views.