Some of you know that I’m not a fan o
f my own generation, “Generation Y,” as we’re called. We are marked as the “give-it-to-me-now” generation. We hold an undeserved attitude of entitlement. Our once valuable hours are now saturated with substandard television and Internet entertainment. We have short attention spans, lack the ability to effectively manage ourselves, are politically docile, historically starved, and selfish. Even more pathetic is the culture of my generation. Statistics have indicated that of the top 10 shows that are listed among 18-49 year-olds, reality television is only on the list thanks to the 18-29 year-old bracket. A reality show with substance is good for all ages, but among the top rated reality shows are Jersey Shore, The Kardashians, and Real Housewives. Jersey Shore is in no way a good show. It's crass and crude and serves no societal function whatsoever. In Real Housewives, overly rich, high maintenance women show how much they don’t grasp reality, and are kind of useless. Catfights, Botox and egotism has never been so amusing. These shows are the definition of narcissism, entitlement, and provide a horrible display of civility and lack of intelligence among the “stars” of the shows. Take other reality television “stars” like the Kardashians and Paris Hilton. Why are they famous again? I mean, besides having a super wealthy, well-known father and a sex tape. Why should we aspire to their level of . . . success? One favorite reality show from the past year or so was The Hills on MTV. It was scripted. Yes, a SCRIPTED reality show. Brilliant. As a member of this generation, I do believe this is an accurate representation of the majority. Obviously, there are exceptions.Among entertainment time-wasters for my generation is Youtube. I decided that I will make a separate post about Youtube, because there’s just so much to say about it! Consider this a “two-part” blog. Let it suffice, for now, to say that there is an over representation of idiots and an under representation of quality entertainment on Youtube.
In that part-two, I will also tell you about an author who wrote a book about my generation calling us the dumbest generation so far, his presence on Youtube, and the counter-productive fight against him from some of the dumb ones he’s talking about. For now I’m moving on.
Author Ben Shapiro recently wrote a book called The True Hollywood Story of How The Left Took Over Your T.V. He has interviews from top Hollywood executives, producers, directors, and actors who openly admit to using their “craft” as a propaganda tool to push liberal progressive undertones in popular media. I know you’re not surprised. I’m not either. What is surprising though is how proudly they admit to it. They are thrilled about it. They even use words like “discrimination (against conservatives)”, and “blacklisting” openly conservative people who are looking for work in Hollywood. The Liberal undertones in entertainment even go as far as Sesame Street.
I have always hated Friends. Now I know why (starting in paragraph 4 of this article).
The people in Hollywood have egos that are bigger than the greater Los Angeles area; they believe that “normal” people idolize them and aspire to be just like them. Sadly, they are right when it comes to my generation. Many view television shows as an ideal lifestyle that they should try to emulate. I use the term “Hollywood” loosely to include most popular media.
The other day I was watching the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. Even though that show frequently makes fun of Republicans and Conservatives, I think it is hilarious! When I was watching, they were playing pieces of a Bill O’Reilly clip out of context. I knew it was out of context because I had seen the original clip. They made it appear like he held the exact opposite opinion about a subject than he actually did. I didn’t care, it worked for the joke, and I can laugh at something funny. But I started to wonder how many people consider the Colbert Report to be an actual source for news?
Turns out, about 30% of 18-30 year-olds list Jon Stewart, and the Colbert Report as their news resources. Isn’t it a good feeling to know that so many people are voting based on what they heard from a comedy show that will do anything for a laugh? It literally scares me to think about people watching the Colbert Report, and then regurgitating the jokes as political facts. So much for my dream of a world where people actually use common sense.
There is an inexplicable hatred for Sarah Palin among people my age (maybe a Sarah Palin commentary will be part 3 of this post?). I’m not necessarily standing up for her, but why is there such hatred? I hear it all the time from people my age. They just despise her! No one can tell me why, but I've noticed that it’s a wildly popular thing to make fun of her on SNL, Comedy Central, late night programming and other top rated shows that are targeted toward the Gen Y demographic. The hatred has nothing to do with her policies as far as I can tell, but rather the fact that Hollywood has made it popular to hate her. As someone who doesn’t hate her (but I don’t exactly endorse her either), I can tell you that people my age who find out that I don’t hate her have begun to treat me differently. But, alas, there is no substance to their reasoning. I think it’s because she’s a threat. Look for part 3.
Here’s my conclusion: Liberalism is a test of popularity. The Hollywood entertainers who captivate and, frankly, control millions of my generation are telling us that Liberalism is the most modern and trendy way to think. Conservatism is outdated and old-fashioned, they'll say. By golly, we're just a bunch of back-woodsy, uneducated rednecks who hate blacks, marry our cousins, and love war! Conservatism is belittled and mocked at every opportunity, letting insecure youngsters know that if you don’t want to be “blacklisted” you should be a Liberal. I bet if you ask the average person in the 18-30 year-old bracket to name a Supreme Court Justice, they couldn’t. Ask them to name a cast member from Jersey Shore now. How does this really tie into today’s political scene? Obama holds a record for the highest turnout of first time voters between the age of 18-25. Using mass media and a bit of peer pressure, entertainment “puppeteers” made Obama look like a rock star candidate without annoying us with pesky details concerning his policies, track record, etc; because we don’t care about those things. Instead, look how young he is, and how eloquent and smart; and look, he plays basketball, he’s thin, he’s black and that is a big deal because we’re making history. Most Gen Y-ers were probably more concerned about their next Facebook update than about Obama's policies. Barack was voted into office by the attention grabbing, I-want-it-now, American Idol generation. I can see why the average individual of my generation would find him appealing back in 2008: Tax cuts for anyone making less than $250K a year, school debt forgiveness, free secondary education, end of wars, free healthcare, etc (all of those things were promised during his campaign, and have not been realized. If you want to argue free healthcare with me, I want you to study the operative word “free” first). Luckily, I know that some people are awakening to the destructive results of his poorly run presidency, and will not vote for him in 2012. The people I know of who are still planning to re-elect him probably haven't changed the channel away from MTV since 2008 (insert more hyperbole here, if you’d like). It’s the Hollywood Liberals that are recruiting for the fight against Fox News at the behest of progressive “leaders” in office, because they want to shut up anyone with different opinions that threaten their agenda. And it is my generation that is joining the attacks, even though you’d be hard pressed to find anyone from that group that actually has watched a second of Fox or any "news" channel aside from Colbert for that matter. Liberal groups are led by bullies who will turn to insulting and degrading others when their opinions are challenged. It’s amazing to me how Liberal groups can make their members feel like it’s the Republicans who are intolerant and full of hate, then they use words like “discrimination,” and “blacklisting” proudly. More amazing are the generation of idiots who believe the obvious double standard. If you believe that Liberals truly are the most tolerant of political differences, then I dare you to walk through downtown Berkeley with a sign around your neck that reads, “I’m a Conservative Republican,” and see how you’re treated. I would actually like to do that as an experiment. Not me though. We should get a Democrat to do it, it would be very enlightening . . . hmm, I'm on to something!
This is not a blanket statement for all Liberals, but the Liberals I know who are able to think for themselves, do. Those who are shallow, concerned about popularity, try to keep up with what some whacked out Hollywood community deems as cool, and don’t care to study out current political issues that actually affect them default to the most popularized political party, Liberalism. Are you happy that Hollywood has rendered you unable to think critically for yourself? Your thinking has been retarded so much that you’re actually de-evolving. I don’t mean to rip into this generation so much. After all, I am one of them. I don’t think I’m better than the rest, and I certainly indulge in too much mind-numbing television, but it’s never been in my nature to let someone else do my thinking for me.
Just as a side note, I don't understand why people aspire to Hollywood standards anyway. Have you ever been to Hollywood? I've walked down Hollywood Blvd, Santa Monica Blvd, and visited the sites. I didn't see a lot of stars, but I did see a lot of trash, homeless people sharing needles, soliciting prostitutes, drug deals, and people who's minds were fried to the point of hallucination. Hollywood is a dirty, disgusting place. Their ideas of reality are so unrealistic, I could probably spend the rest of my life trying to lick my own elbow and live a more rewarding life.
Please, fellow Generation Y, prove to everyone that we’re not mindless drones. Start thinking for yourself! Lead or be led! Lead, follow, or get out of the way! [Another cliche]!
Does this post make me look like a conspiracy theorist?
Another interesting video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDcF2BwGNkY
Hate is kind of a strong word so I won't use it. But I don't like Sarah Palin because she has/had (is that thing still on?) a reality TV show. That by itself, at the end of your blog, should make you not like her. She quit her job as a public servant in 2009 and threw herself into various media spotlights I think to help her make a possible run for THE public servant (President, if you didn't get that one). I don't know all of her policies, but I don't have to until she announces herself as a candidate. As for now I will ignore her for the afore mentioned reasons.
ReplyDeleteI am a guilty "Gen-Y"er in some aspects that you listed on your blog, but I refuse to be liberal. I do like to have things now but I have learned over the past few years that you have to put a lot of effort into anything you want. Your brain cannot be magically and instantly filled with anything you desire. It was funny that you said that we can't self-manage ourselves because I chose to read this blog post and respond to it instead of doing my homework.
Lastly I would like to tell you that my brother can, in fact, lick his own elbow. Maybe I should put that on YouTube.
You make me laugh so hard! I can't wait for part 2 and 3.
ReplyDeleteI think Dad once saw a woman lift her dress and pee in the gutter on Hollywood Blvd.
ReplyDeleteAs for our generation, well, it drives me nuts, too. And I especially hate how Obama has become some kind of celebrity and Hollywood Moses instead of our President. I've never seen a dude party on office time more than him.
But! He does play basketball, so there's something.