Lauren Greenfield's Fastforward was extremely interesting to read. It touched on alot of points that we discussed in class and reminded me of the video Killing Us Softly. Places like LA & New York are no longer the only places where materialism,sexuality,and celebrity obsession are enormously effecting young people. No matter where you go, teenagers are targeted to fall prey to this shallow way of thinking of themselves and the word around them. What is exotic and what is familiar to us? Does nothing shock us anymore? Our culture has indeed gone numb to alot of "shocking" things because they have become all too familiar to us.
- " The popularity of reality television and the phenomenon of the “web cam” have glorified celebrity as a worthy and attainable goal for young people. Precocious sexuality among teens and pre-teens is now a familiar part of the cultural fabric."
Teen culture has now become obsessed with celebrities & thier lifestyle. Most teens care more about what their favorite celeb is wearing or doing rather than helping out in their community or raising money for schools. It can be very draining for a teenager to always compare their real life to celelbrity life. Teenagers forget that the celebs they look up to so dearly have makeup artist, personal trainers, photoshop, etc. Television shows and movies glamourize sexual and intimate encounters between young people not really showing how awkward and "non-pretty" it actually is. These Television shows and movies also do not show enough of the consequenses of sexual activites such as teen pregnancy,STD's,and emotional damage.
- "They are disturbed by what is exotic and what is familiar. They recognize themselves or their children and at the same time insist that their lives and values are not like those represented in the book."
No one wants to admit that they have become distanced from their personal values. Many Americans have become numb to the things that were once mortifying to them at some point in time.
- "My son has does not listen to the radio but knows Eminem lyrics. He is not allowed to watch television but is on a first-name basis with Sponge Bob, the Hulk, the Muppets and the Pirates of the Caribbean."
The media is everywhere!!!! Not just on television & on the radio. There is no hiding from it...kind of scary!
- "Fourteen-year old Italian girls wear thongs deliberately hiked up over their low-riding pants and rip revealing holes in their jeans"
Its crazy what girls will do for attention. I modeled as a young girl, and have just begun modeling agail. I have come across photographers who are interested in working with me hoping that I would be interested in a more revealing shoot than what I am use to or willing to do. Its tough to stand your ground because females are very competitve; when they see another female getting more attention (even if its for the wrong reason) then them it sometimes causes the to want to step of their boundries. I take pride in being a independent/classy female but like I said it can be difficult. I feel like at a young age girls were told that looks are everything and that boys/men are these sex driven creatures who only recognize what they see. (rather than personality,humor,kindness,intellegence..etc) It is also confusing to young girls because one minute they are told by the media,other girls, and boys that its important to look sexy or "put out", yet the girls that do that are then called sluts and whores, and boys do not want them once they have "had them" and feel that they deserve something better. I believe that is extremely confusing for young girls to understand.
- "I began Fast Forward as a local story, specific to my hometown of Los Angeles. By the time I was done, this body of work had become about something that went beyond L.A.; the early loss of innocence in a media-saturated society and how kids are affected by the culture of materialism, the cult of celebrity, and the emphasis on image. Much of the phenomena I documented are now taken for granted all over the country.
Image,Materialism, and the cult of celebrity is now universal. This is indeed very sad because all three things do not make life meaningful nether does it help anyone find true happiness in life. NO matter where one lives, they will have to hold on to their "innocence" in this media-saturated society.
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