primetime you

I liked the imagery and the style of writing in this essay. It was a very unique style, but at times, I felt that there was just to much descrpitive information that did not relate back to the main point. However, it was easy to identify with the author about his views on the mainstream USA. It seems that much of the time, we find ourselves caught up in fads and the "cool" way to act or present ourselves to others. Not very many people are able to rid themselves of Cooley's Looking Glass Self (a concept in sociology where we see ourselves in the way that we think others percieve us).

Most poeple have felt that they have to keep up with technology by buying new cell phones, music devices, cars, household utilities (namely televisions) and so on. The author in Primetime You points out that advertisers target our gullible personalities to promote thier products and ideas. Everyone wants to wear the shoe that Lebron advertises even if its ugly and everyone wants to wear abercrombie colon even if its repulsive. The internet is perhaps the worst influence. Kids and people who are highly influenced by mass media can access basically anything and everything good and bad on the web. Still, trends are not all bad, they just tend to diminish the originality of an individual.

Not all media is negative, but the reality is that most advertisers do not consider the negativity that comes with their influences. However unacceptable it may be now days to ignore fads and social influences, the real douchebags are the poeple that look down on others for not being socially "up to date." So what if someone wears 70's style converse sneakers or trippy 60's hippy shirts. We don't all have to conform to the ripped jeans and fur coats of abercrombie. It is a matter of whether or not we can be ourselves. Still the truth is most of us have conformed to some mainstream trend.

1. Has the internet become a more negative influence than television?

2. Do young people rely too much on the mainstream fads that dominate our society?