Blog Post Two:Teenagers in the Media

My thoughts on teenagers in the media... Honestly, I’m not even sure how I feel about it . Whether I agree with it or not, I’m being exposed to it every day and I must admit, I’m entertained. From our discussions in class, most people agree that they way teenagers are portrayed is completely inaccurate, myself included. And no matter how many times I bash the media...I’m still entertained. And that’s the point isn’t it? To be entertained. When you turn on your television or switch on our computer you’re wanting to be entertained; that’s the whole point of the media. People turn into shows like Gossip Girl and 90210 not because they’re an accurate and relatable portrayal of someone their own age. No they turn in because it’s entertaining.
Teenagers in real life are no where near as exciting as they are portrayed on tv or in movies or on the radio (though some may think they are). That’s why teenagers in the media are so different from real teens, they have to be entertaining. And not just entertaining, they have to be witty, cool, ridiculously attractive and put together and have to look like they’re five years older (which in most cases is achieved by having someone 24 play a 17 year old). By setting these extreme and unachievable standards, regular teens feel like this is how they should be and then copy and reflect how they think a real teenager should be. Little do they know, this "real teenager" was systematically developed by some 35 year old marketing executive to appeal to a wide audience with the sole purpose of making you want to be just like this character. I think this just sets a standard that makes everyone who watches it feel completely inadequate.
These manufactured media teens are an extremely negative portrayal of how teenagers really are. It’s degrading to assume that all teenagers are self absorbed air-heads who only think about is sex, partying and material objects. While yes, this is partly true, it’s not completely true. A teenager is a person with thoughts, likes and dislikes and feelings and are not just some vapid sex machine which is how the media (for the most part portrays us). Adults turn on these shows looking for insight into their kids life and are severely misguided. I know my mom thinks that my sister and I are drinking and doing drugs like every other nigh because that’s what the media says we do. If the media was accurate, she would know that we actually stay in singing karaoke and watching funny cat videos on youtube.

So while I don’t agree with what the media says about us, I’m not putting down my copy of Seventeen and it would take a natural disaster to make me miss and episode of Gossip Girl.

Media Assignment Numero Uno

I believe that media extremely important in my life. Considering how much time I spend watching movies, listening to music, vegging in front of the television and on the computer, it can be assumed that a large portion of my time is spent engulfed in some aspect of the media, which equates an extreme importance of the media in my life.

This next question was a no brainer. Movies. I spend more time watching movies than probably any other activity in my life (excluding sleeping, of course). When I’m not watching movies, I’m quoting them, or referencing them, or thinking about them and even going so far as to determine camera angles and a score for my own life.

Secondly, would be television. Television to me is like, an extended movie that never ends (at least until the network cancels a perfectly good show *cough* Pushing Daisies *cough*) I love the idea of a story in parts, where only a little piece of the plot is revealed each week. Though I love television, I am losing faith in today’s shows. What ever happened to I Love Lucy or Gilligan’s Island? Just saying....

And lastly, music. My friends constantly make fun of me for my music taste. They call it weird, I call it....varied. I love how music has the ability to just fit your mood perfectly whether you’re fantastic or depressed or whatever. There is hardly a moment where I am not being exposed to music in some form, whether it’s one in the background, I’m humming while doing my homework or rocking out at the top of my lungs.


Thoughts on modern pop culture....I think that today’s pop culture is just as varied and multifaceted as any other time’s pop culture but it’s somehow more....flat. Andy Warhol was once quoted as saying that in the future, everybody would have their own fifteen minutes of fame With the invention of Youtube, Myspace and Facebook, it seems that that time has come. Everybody can be a star, or at least a fad. With the assault of so-called "talent" we as a society are being bombarded with, it’s hard to differentiate who is just a fad and who will endure to be a true icon. I think it will be interesting to look back on today’s pop culture and see what media will be associate with it. Right now, it would be impossible to predict (I just hope its not The Hills).

Desert Island Choices

TV Shows: While my taste in television is as schizophrenic my music taste, there is one show that is my all-time favourite by a landslide. Quantum Leap is (in my opinion of course) one of the best shows in television history. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, the premise is a quantum physicist named Dr. Sam Beckett, in order to prove his theories, prematurely started his time travel experiment. The result was a case of amnesia and an unfamiliar mirror image. Sam "leaps" into other peoples lives, and with the help of his friend Al (who appears to him as a hologram) and super computer "Ziggy", he rights what had previously gone wrong. When his mission is complete, he "leaps" again and into a completely different scenario. This may seem like science fiction but every episodes vary the genre; from murder mystery to courtroom drama to love story. This show is funny, imaginative, and above all else, extremely entertaining. Unfortunately, the only way I’m able to watch this show is on re-runs or by renting each season.



Album: This one is a tough-y. My favourite album changes almost on a weekly basis, but at the moment its Costello Music by The Fratellis. This album came out in 2006 but I hadn’t really listened to any songs accept the first track until very recently. The upbeat tempo and unusual melodies make all the songs so catchy you don’t even realize the lyrics you’re singing along to. When you do, you’ll find the lyrics cheeky and almost silly. By far the best track is Henrietta though I have only a glimmer of an idea of what the song is actually about!


Movie: To really have my taste in movies define myself, I would have to share my entire top fifty favourite movies for it to be a clear representation of the kinds of movies I like. But, since we’re only allowed one favourite, Aladdin is the one. This movie is funny, sweet, and basically awesome. I’m still not sure if I love this movie but it’s a great movie or if I’m mearly "nostalgic for my youth" though it’s probably a mixture of both. There are some movies you can watch over and over again and every time you see something you never saw before and still find it wildy entertaining. This is one of those films. Released in the so-called "renaissance" of Disney, it truly is an "animated masterpiece" and is both mine and my sisters favourite movies. Start singing "A Whole New World". I won’t be able to resist joining in.


Video Game: I’m not sure if it really constitutes as a video game, The Sims is sort of an obsession and can be summed up in a few words, I live vicariously through my sims.




Book: I love to read so this was probably the hardest category. After considering my favourite books (which range from Christopher Moore to Christopher Buckley) I narrowed it down to three, The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray. The books take place in Victorian England and are centered around Gemma and her three best friends Ann, Felicity and Pippa. While the premise sounds hokey (Gemma has these visions that enable her to enter another world called The Realms, and she has magical powers etc.) These books are actually amazingly inventive and emotional. Libba Bray is amazing with words and captures the thoughts and feelings of Gemma perfectly and makes her so believably alive. The emotions these books evoke range from joy to rage to pain. I fell in love with the characters and I would recommend these books to any female reader. I say female because while the plot could cross gender, there is a sort of coming of age aspect to these stories that is distinctly feminine and also, one of the major themes in the books is female empowerment. So...not really aimed at the average male reader.