First of, I'd like to take this opportunity to issue a sincere apology to my parent's generation.
You guys were right.
No matter how many times you said we should go play outside or read a book like you guys did in the old days we laughed at such idea and remained glued to the television, Nintendo, Gameboy and now Blackberry's.
As season two of "Jersey Shore" begins, it has proven just how wrong we were to ignore your advice.
This is what it's come to. "Jersey Shore" isn't just a bad television show. It's the highest point of everything wrong with my generation. It's a group of people doing things you wouldn't usually want people to know about, except in front of millions of people and are getting rich and famous off it.
We couldn't have predicted that ignoring your wisdom would lead to the cultural apocalypse dawning on us in our lifetime.
But it did.
For those unaware of the phenomenon that is "Jersey Shore," it's a "reality" show based around a group of twenty-something who apparently have nothing to do in life other than drink, party, randomly hook-up, and be racist. It's not that drinking, partying, randomly hooking-up, and being racist is exclusive to my generation. In fact, those are the virtues the rockstars, rapstars, and Hollywood lived by that your generation admired. But at least they bring some sort art form to the table. Simply being stupid is not art. It's stupid.
We've taken popular culture to a low "fist pump" that it has never seen before. While America is no stranger to dumb comedy, my generation has created a strange brand of humor where we are laughing at and wanting to be the cast members of "Jersey Shore."
If you ask a kid, what appeals to them about the show, they'll surely answer that it's funny or awesome or say some sort of slang that surely means a version of funny or awesome.
It's not. It's embarrassing.
I don't see how we're ever going to get out of this hole. While I sincerely hope that in a matter of years "Jersey Shore" will be nothing more than a fad unknown comedians will joke about on various comedy central shows, I'm afraid we've set the precedent that fame at any costs is the American dream.
Don't get me wrong. I want to be famous too. But for doing something great.
The people on "Jersey Shore" are famous because they are morons (although some do have great boobs). There is no aspect of intellectualism involved in watching "Jersey Shore."
I've learned my lesson. I promise instead of watching "Jersey Shore," I'll read a book or something.
As soon as the new episode of "16 and Pregnant" is over.
Sincerely,
Edgar Arellano.
