Program crosses line by glamorizing tragedies of teenage experience
People say it's tough being a kid.
Failing grades, rising promiscuity and bulging waistlines make it more difficult than ever for this generation to be successful. And sometimes, when things aren't working out as planned, it's easier just to say, "Screw it." Teenagers are growing up in a society where lackadaisical aspirations are the norm. Who is to blame for this newfound apathy among young people?
For those who believe the polluted air and water are corrupting the health of today's generation, consider the contaminated cultural sewage oozing from MTV in the form of the station's controversial new show "Skins." Controversy has surrounded the show from the beginning, and its creators have even been accused of violating child pornography laws because the show contains nudity, and almost all of the actors are under 18.
Sadly, as the show portrays teenagers living the glamorous lives of pathological liars and cocaine addicts, nudity is the least of its problems.
MTV has cloaked itself in hypocrisy. The network runs advertisements for the anti-drug campaign "Above the Influence" and wisely inserts disclaimers at the end of shows that contain physical assaults that say domestic violence is never the answer, just to cover its butt. In a show like "Skins" that contains sexual promiscuity and rampant drug use, MTV has decided to corrupt America's youth and pretend to care by sticking in legal reassurance during the commercial break.
An MTV spokeswoman, Jeannie Kedas, insists that "'Skins' is a show that addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way." Look no further than the show's website to read the Teen Advisory Board's baseless jargon stating that they aim to keep "Skins" as real as possible and that "real kids, real stories and real relationships" influence everything in the show.
While some may argue that "Skins" is not a realistic portrayal of the American teenager, I disagree. I do not think "Skins" is realistic enough. Within one hour, we watch boys and girls have sex with multiple partners and take every drug in their parent's medicine cabinets. What the show neglects to include is the misery and unavoidable trips to the hospital a real-life teenager would experience after behaving this way. The show glamorizes the worst aspects of youth and creates a mixed message to viewers.
Since the show casts underage teenagers, it is ironic that to access any online episodes on MTV.com a person must first prove that he or she is over 18. If MTV claims this is what real teenagers are going through and doing in real life, why the need to censor it?
MTV is fueling the "everyone is doing it" corruption of youth while claiming to be the knight in shining armor for teenagers, geared toward setting a good example. With the network blurring the lines and having such a strong grip on teenage entertainment, it is hard for teenagers to discern right from wrong.
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