Saturday, August 30, 2008

Entertaining Teens

What is entertaining teens?

A conversation sparked after class regarding the literature that our teens are exposed to, words that are literally at the fingertips of anyone really. It got me thinking about different teen television series that are on air today and even the ones that were airing when I was a teen. ie. Dawson's Creek, Felicity, 90210 and even the innocent show 7th Heaven. I can say with almost 100% certainty the main plot of almost all of them was a group of teens hanging out dealing with a blur of emotions all in the middle of some identy crisis and seeking to give up their "V" card, obsessed with who is sleeping with who.

Now on some level your junior high and high schoolers and even some college students are pretty much dealing with these very issues. However I still wonder if our shows have an effect on how glamorized a lot of these aspects are portrayed. I don't believe media is the only thing that can take the blame for the shortcomings of its viewers but it has to instill something.

My 13 year old cousin was obsessed with "cute" boys before she was even in middle school. Posters of boy bands clinging to her bedroom walls, I wonder if she even knew what a "cute" boy was. And today I pity my uncle who is about to battle her every step of the teen series path she is about to embark on.

I don't know if striking these shows from television would prevent teen pregnancy, curb the appetite to "find yourself" or make being a dramatic teenager any less glamorous. In fact I am pretty sure it wouldn't, but it still makes you contemplate what our youth is being exposed to.

No comments: