Skins and Degrassi

Out of everything around me that involves culture the first thing that came to mind was Skins UK and Degrassi. I decided to let this idea simmer for a bit. Why did this come to mind first? What was so culture about it? Then I realized it is with all the content they deal with. These two shows focus on high schoolers and College kids. The best part is that they try not to fake what we really do as teens. Society frowns upon this idea of us drinking, doing drugs, partying, and having sex. The reality of it is that is what most of us do, but the difference is we hide it from our parents. Some of these kids do the same and others don't give a shit about what their parents have to say. I think these two shows involve so much culture because they go through things that are actually happening in society today. They have the same issues we have like shitty parents, horrible relationships, discovering who you are,  and on Degrassi a character Page went through the fact that she was raped. You get an idea of issues different people go through and the thought process that they have.  


Degrassi and Skins don't try to paint a pretty picture of teens, and create this fake ideas that we do no wrong and we don't party. This shows are being honest and that is why these shows haven't been successful in America because families can't admit that theirs kids do that (not that every kid does). 


These shows got culture and I think they have some of the most real culture there is out there.

Dark Child Living a Dark Life

The video that I connected with was "Dark Life". Pamala and I both share a love for dance, but hers is more club dancing while mine is jazz and modern. What I really liked about her is that she says dancing "Makes her feel whole, like an orgasm." I can relate to that in a way because when I dance I feel better about myself and who I am. Its a way to escape all the negative things in my life. That one moment its me, the music, and my body. I also connected to her when she said that her mother and school didn't believe in her because of the way she dressed and how she was a rebel, but she proved them wrong.
I liked how they used a mixture of music, video, and voice in the video. The images of her at the club, during the day, and getting ready to go out showed different sides of her. At night she was this crazy dressed girl. The way she looked scared people, but during the day she was a normal girl, like a student from Columbia.


I think I am going to talk about boys town because that is the section of Chicago I visit the most in my free time. Im not really sure yet how i am going to put it into the digiscape, but I'm sure it will be creative. 

FUCK CAPITALISM

I think that Einreich is trying to show that working in lower class settings sucks fucking ass! I know how she feels. I was a server at Sonic Drive-In for about 8 months and life was hell! 

Those of you who don't know what Sonic is, well it is basically a fast food restaurant, but its styled after a 50's drive in. The servers rollerblade and deliver your food to your car. We get payed $5 per hour and we can get tipped. Doesn't sound too bad does it?  Well too make decent tips you would have to work about 8 hour shifts and rollerblading almost non stop gets tiring after awhile. Especially with wet floors, rude costumers, and the heat from the summer sun.

I think Barbara is also trying to say that people don't realize the shit that goes on behind the counter at some of these sit down restaurants. I know that this shit happens all the time. The drugs, the long hours, the rush to pee, smoke, or eat. IT all fucking sucks, but that is what America has come to today because certain people can't fucking relax and wait a minute.

I thought the piece was a bit long but it had its moments of laughter. I personally connected to the piece because I went through some of what she did. I think a lot of people would connect with Barbara if they worked in the "low class jobs".  I think that low class jobs are a good start for people to get on their feet or to get back on their feet after a hard fall. It also helps you learn how to work with different types of people and prepares you for challenges in life. I would never recommend staying at a job like that for life, but if you move up the ladder of employment status I can see how it can be a benefit in some cases. 

At the end of the day I respect people who work these jobs because I used to be in their place once too.

I think that is what Barbara is ultimately trying to say.

Modern Family

I think that over the last five to ten years we used to have these typical families where the father worked and the mother stayed at home. Everything was clean and the children respected their parents. Now we have blended families, single parent families, same sex parents, and sometimes both parents are working. I like the change because as America has changed so has the families on TV.  Everyday a new TV show is coming on and the way it views a family changes. Nothing ever stays the same in the media world because not everything will always relate to people.

I think that society and media relate to each other. When society starts to change so does the media, but that is also vise versa. When the Jersey shore fist pump came out everyone at the club was doing that. Also when same-sex couples became more acceptable in society they started to appear more on television. I think that what happens on TV and what happens in society will influence the other. It is just how the world works. The world keeps changing and the media has to keep changing with it.  I do not know whats going to become of the "American" family in the next five to ten years, but I'm sure whatever it is it will still be hilarious. The important thing about it is that it just needs to relate to whats going on with families in America at that point in time.

Family

I would not say my whole family has shaped my identity, but I will say my mom played a huge role. She was who I grew up with as a child, and at a young age we were very close. As I started to grow up I started to realize that my mother was molding me into something she wanted me to be. I started to rebel against her, and I did it when ever possible. I would go out late at night, push curfew, lie, sometimes I even stole. I think I was ready to be who I wanted to be and to reach that I needed to completely change who I was to my mother before I was my own person. When I was around my mom or other family members I changed who I was, or at least I tried. I still have to hide from some of my family about being gay because they are religious and would reject me.  Also I do not think that my family would accept a man who wears heels or leggings, it just is not normal.

My family expects me to graduate college, get a good job, and support them. I feel pressured to achieve good grades, and to be the best at everything. The pressure my family puts on me makes me want to lash out and not give a shit in school. I think that was part of the reason my grades were so bad in high school because my mom was always on my back about grades and homework. Now that I am here in college I am doing better in school because I have to force myself to do school work and my mother is not here to breathe down my back about it.

Im Writing s Memoir in a Month

Updates on my book