Merchants of Cool

I only got to see half of the video in class because my dumb alarm clock decided not to go off this morning. However, the video was so interesting and so true to life. During the time of Dawson's Creek, 7th Heaven, and all of the other crazy shows, i was a a tween trying to figure out who i was and where i belonged in this world. TV shoes in the 90's had a tremendous impact on my peers and I. Spice girls drove me to wear platformish shoes and crazy scrunchies. Movies like clueless not only entertained my friends and I, but gave us a reason to model our behaviors around the same girls portrayed in these movies and shows. I began talking, walking, and dressing like these characters. Their interests became my interests which may or may not be good. I remember gossiping was the cool thing to do, and anyone with out the latest clothes, shoes, or accessories just wasn't cool. For these reasons my parents decided not to allow me to watch many shows or movies that might influence me in these ways. They did not like the way the characters acted or talked to each other. Many of them were talking about sex, and other things that a young girl should not be worried about yet. My friends made fun of me for not being allowed to watch "cool" media. Even though some may have considered me sheltered, i see now how beneficial my parents' decision was for my life. Young children, especially girls, are incredibly influenced by media. Celebrity females set a standard for how people should look and act. Young girls are so influenced that they will go to extreme lengths to be like these celebrities. The media has such a huge influence. Even though those involved in creating the media may be just trying to mirror their audiences, alot of times their younger audiences mirror the media negetively. I think it is very important for parents to monitor what their children watch in the media.