You can't judge a book by its' cover...

Wow…It’s shocking to think that my ten-week cross-cultural experience is over! Looking back at my older blog posts, it’s amazing how much I learned. When I chose my blog topic, I set out to find the answer to why rich teenagers act the way they do. I never understood the underage drinking and looking like a fool, the buying $500 jeans, etc. But over the past ten weeks, I’ve come to find an understanding for this behavior.
Through various readings, interviews and youtube videos, I found that it’s not always the “choice behavior” for those exhibiting it. For example, when a friend from high school heard that other students felt inferior to her because of the way she dressed, she felt awful.
Many times, the media plays a large role in the way we view other people and cultures. It is stereotypes presented by the media that give us preconceived opinions about various cultures, such as rich teens. Over the past 2 and a half months I realized that I was reading far too much into the stereotypes presented to me, and not taking the time to try to fully understand the culture.
Although I will never have a full understanding of some of the characteristics of the rich teenage culture, I now have an understanding for many of the things that they do. There is the saying, you can’t always judge a book by its cover. This is the case for the typical rich teen. What meets the eye isn’t always reality.



Image Source: http://blog.columbusalive.com/Sensory/gossip_girl400.jpg

Rich Girls

I’ve talked a lot about the media in my past blogs, and the stereotypes they endorse. Over Thanksgiving break, I was flipping through television channels and stumbled upon MTV’s new show “Rich Girls.” This show follows the lives of Ally Hilfiger and Jaime Gleicher. As MTV says these girls are “normal teenagers who enjoy doing normal teenage things like shopping, talking on the phone, and going to the prom. But there's one important difference between them and the rest of us--they're rich. Really, really, really rich.” MTV’s show follows Ally and Jaime around as they spend their “mountains of money.”

This super-fabulous lifestyle (as MTV calls it) is full of shopping and living lavishly. The episode being re-run over Thanksgiving break was when the girls were moving into their college dorms. While organizing their closets, in walked Tommy Hilfiger. He then arranged the girl’s closets, and new clothes were obviously provided. The girls were then taken to his studio in order to help make design decisions for his new line.

After talking with “Jen” in my previous blogs, it because apparent that some rich teens are just raised that way. It’s the idea of nature vs. nurture. It’s fine to have all the money in the world and spend it on frivolous things, but to follow these girls shoving cameras in their face is another. As I’ve said before, many of the reasons rich teens act they way the do is the media stereotypes put before them. Without these stereotypes, such as the ones created on “Rich Girls,” we may not have this sense of organizational power and a clear divide between rich and poor in our society.


Image Source: http://www.mtv.com/onair/rich_girls/flipbooks/girls/images/flip_14.jpg

MTV's Show Description: http://www.mtv.com/onair/rich_girls/episode_guide/

There are many times when I wish I wasn’t like this...

Since my last post, I decided to contact Jen* regarding her life as a “rich teen.” I guess you could say girls like Jen exhibit a sense of organizational power over those not as wealthy. Organizational power is when a social unit limits the actions of other individuals due to their social status. This sense of inequality was definitely seen while I went to Saratoga High. Many students that don’t wear brand names feel a sense of inferiority to students like Jen.
I asked Jen about this, and she felt awful. “I never realized other students felt this way!” She told me that she sometimes felt an obligation to dress and act the way she does. To her, it was more of an obligation as opposed to a choice she herself made. “I feel like I was born into this role,” Jen told me. “To be quite honest, there are many times when I wish I wasn’t like this, especially after hearing I made other students feel bad.”
This inequality can be seen between the “rich and poor” throughout all ages and generations. An anonymous letter made it’s way around the internet, and has been the subject of many blogs, youtube videos and website posts. This “Letter of Appreciation from the Rich” is as follows:

A LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM THE RICH

Let’s be honest: you’ll never win the lottery.

On the other hand, chances are pretty high that you’ll slave away at some shitty job the rest of your life.

That’s because in all likelihood you were born into the wrong social class. Let’s face it — you’re a member of the WORKING CASTE.

As a result, you don’t have the education, upbringing, connections, manners, appearance, and good taste to ever become one of us.

In fact, you’d probably need a book the size of the yellow pages to list all the unfair advantages we have over you.

That’s why we’re so relieved that you continue to believe the silly old fairy tale about “justice” and “equal opportunity” in America.

Of course, in a hierarchical system like ours, there’s not much room at the top to begin with. And anyway, it’s already occupied by us (in fact we like it up here so much that we intend to keep it that way).

But at least there’s usually someone lower in the social hierarchy you can feel superior to and kick in the teeth once in a while. Even a lowly dishwasher can find some poor slob even lower than he to sneer and spit at.

So be thankful for poor Blacks, migrant workers, prostitutes and homeless street people.

Always remember that if everyone like you were economically secure and socially privileged like us, there would be no one left to fill those boring, dangerous shit jobs in our economy. And no one to fight our wars or blindly follow orders in our corporate armies. And certainly no one to meekly go to their grave without having lived a full and creative life.

So please, keep up the good work!

Plus, you probably don’t have the same vicious, greedy, compulsive drive to acquire and possess wealth, power and prestige that we have. And even though you sincerely desire freedom, you also fear freedom, keeping you and others like you in a nervous state of limbo.

So you mechanically go through life playing your assigned social role, terrified of what others would think should you ever dare to “break out of the mold”.

Naturally we play you off against each other whenever it suits our purposes: skilled workers against unskilled, unionized against non-unionized, Black against White, American workers against Japanese against Mexican against....

We continually keep your wages low by invoking “foreign competition”, “the law of supply and demand”, or “national security”.

We throw you into the unemployed if you step out of line or jeopardize our profits.

We even let you vote for one of our political surrogates every now and then.

Happily, you haven’t a clue as to what’s really happening — instead you blame Blacks, Jews, Welfare Mothers, Queers (everybody except us) for your troubled situation.

Not only that, you still embrace the work ethic, even though most jobs in our economy undermine your health, poison the environment, and suck your one and only life out of you.

We don’t know much about work, but we’re sure glad that you do.

Of course life could be different.

Society could be organized to meet the real needs of the general population.

You could control your own activity and not be someone else’s pawn.

But you don’t know that. You can’t even imagine it.

In fact, that’s probably the greatest accomplishment of our system: robbing you of your imagination, your creativity, your ability to think for yourself.

So we’d truly like to thank you from the bottom of our heartless hearts. It’s obedient wage slaves like you that help make our lives so pleasant. Your loyal sacrifice makes possible our corrupt luxury; your work makes our system work.

So once again, thanks for “knowing your place” — without even knowing it.

$igned,
Rich $cum of America

As it is easy to see through this letter of “appreciation,” the organizational power is quite prevalent. Obviously the validity of this letter unknown, but the fact that at least one person felt the need to write it shows the large amount of inequality between poor and rich seen in our culture.

Image source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo.cms?msid=591138

Letter Source: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9470/rich.html

Money Makes the World Go Round…

Being half way through the semester, I feel as though I’m looking at this culture through the wrong “light.” The only way to successfully achieve a valid cross-cultural encounter is do use the practice of participant observation (a type of research which brings an anthropologist closer to a given culture by interacting in the cultures natural environment). To do this, I’m going to try to “throw” myself into this culture.

I come from a very ritzy city in upstate New York. Saratoga Springs is known for it’s nightlife, downtown area and in the summer, it’s thoroughbred racing. My high school was a melting pot of people. Like every high school, it had its jocks, nerds, drama kids, band geeks and rich kids. In our town though, it seemed as though the rich kids took it to a new level. Girls wear only brand names from their headbands to their socks. They carry only the finest, REAL designer handbags, and drive cars nicer then the teachers.

Facebook, a social networking site is a popular place for today’s teens to interact. Facebook is a place in today’s culture where it’s users “true identities” can be seen. When looking at Jen’s* Facebook, every picture sports brand names: An Abercrombie sweatshirt in one, American Eagle Jeans in another. One picture (seen in this post) has the caption “FINALLY!”

The accomplishment of getting a real designer handbag is one many girls in Saratoga Springs share. In addition to getting a car on their 16th birthday, many girls get a multitude of designer handbags and clothes. As they say, money makes the world go around.

*Name has been changed


Image source: http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v347/48/26/1374240570/n1374240570_30256272_1254.jpg

That's So Hot...

At dinner the other night, the topic of Paris Hilton was brought up. Myself, my straight female friend, straight male friend, and gay male friend all began discussing out feelings on Paris. “She’s a nutcase! I can’t stand her.” “The only reason she’s famous is because she gave a guy a blow job on camera and posted it on the internet.” Most of the feelings tended to be unanimous. It was then that my gay friend got quiet. We asked him what was wrong, and he exclaimed, “I LOVE PARIS HILTON! I want to be her best friend!” We all questioned his reasons for feeling this way. “You really want to walk around carrying a small dog in your purse and saying ‘Hey bit****’?” He quickly exclaimed that is exactly what he wants to do. “Every guy wants to be like Paris Hilton.”

As soon as he said that, a little girl, probably around the age of 8 walked into the restaurant, carrying a small pink purse a stuffed dog inside. The 4 of us immediately started laughing. In my opinion, I found it somewhat ridiculous. Here is this little girl, that already, feels as though she has to follow the stereotype she sees on the television.

It was then that we decided to take a trip to Target. While my friend Ashley and I were looking at the cd’s a girl, no older then 13 came over to both of us. “Oh my god you girls are so lucky! I wish I had Coach purses like you guys.” (Both Ashley and I have fake Coach purses from a trip to New York City). Again I was baffled by the feelings of girls so young. It’s shocking how the stereotypes of the media and television shows impact the way girls feel they need to act, dress and carry themselves.



Image Source: http://www.dropthatsock.com/content/paris250_250.jpg

Sweeet 16...

Try to think of all the things $200,000 can buy. $200,000 can buy a house, multiple cars, food for the homeless, a four year college education, or a birthday party for teenage girls like Sophie Mitchell, star of MTV's hit reality show My Super Sweet 16.

Sophie and other girls are showcased on MTV’s hit series. Their parties are filled with extravagant things like $2,000 cakes, concert type entertainment, and venues, such as New York City Clubs. As Lola Ogunnaike, a writer for the New York Times writes in her article, MTV's 'Super Sweet 16' Gives a Sour Pleasure, “The show follows a simple but wildly successful formula: (1) kid makes a series of high-priced demands (a fireworks display, a helicopter ride, perhaps a harem of belly dancers); (2) parents capitulate and cough up the cash; (3) kid gleefully humiliates the uninvited; (4) something goes awry; (5) kid has a meltdown and repeatedly refers to self in the third person; (6) party miraculously comes together, and kid is presented with an automobile before his salivating, less fortunate peers.”

The show draws a large audience because the lives these teenage girls and boys lead are so different from everyday life. Most 16 year olds have a birthday cake and a few friends over for their 16th birthday party. These teens on the other hand have grand entrances on elephants, $1,000 bracelets are party favors, and limonene service for all of the party guests.

When asked about her party, which cost around $180,000, Sophie replied, “Unless they were crazy or hated their child, any parent who was financially able would do it,.”



Article Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/26/arts/television/26swee.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&oref=slogin

Image source: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/04/26/arts/26swee190.jpg

"An Illicit Fag Behind the Toilets"

Allen Newton writes in his blog "Over the Fence,"

"I was a bit of a goody-two-shoes at school when it came to sex, drugs and booze (although I may have made up for it in latter years), but I wonder how different it is for kids at school these days than it was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when I was at school. I finished my high school years at Governor Stirling in Midland, renowned, certainly then, as one of the Metropolitan area’s rougher schools, but even then I can’t recall being exposed to drugs. And as for sex parties! I surely would have remembered them.

No, the worst I can recall of my circle of friends, was an illicit fag behind the toilets, a sly tipple of mum and dad’s sherry and skipping school classes down by the Swan River. It wasn’t actually a life of debauchery. Reading this stuff about booze-fuelled sex romps, drug binges and boys hiring strippers makes me wonder if school life has changed or was I just living in some naive world of my own"

This is a question many of the current "teenage generation's" parents are asking. Even my mother wonders how life has changed so drastically from her generation to mine. It's not necessarily what Newton was talking about in his blog that fascinated me, but rather, the comments he received after posting it.

Jas of Perth comments:

"i came out of high school a few years ago and at the start of year 8 all me and my mates did was smoke cigs and green and skip class we never had the money to afford to get a stripper but sometimes we had piss ups. we always had very little money and by the sounds of things these kids have lots of money and i would like to know where they get this do they work or is it rich mummy and daddys who give there kids everything they want. WAKE UP PEOPLE the time are changing and we all need to keep up with it but how old are these kids and how do they get booze they are tougher than they where a few years ago. hopefully these kids grow up and learn there is more to life and having fun that getting trashed and get a good life and a good job and not be on the street"

This may be a typical reaction for most, but it was the comment by Scotchy of Perth interested me the most.

"I’m from Scotch College and i can say that all this media hype is an absolute load of bullshit...The depiction of Scotch College as under a ‘drugs and sex crisis’ and that “booze-fuelled sex romps” are occurring is just sensationalistic journalism. I can knowingly say that the situation described is NOT accurately reported. All the issues the media has mentioned has been blown out of proportion and sensationalised. Although there are issues which need to be dealt with, everything happening at Scotch is happening at every other public or private school and has been for as long as i can remember and is definitely not a new crisis or something just Scotch is experiencing.

To those of you who think we are spoiled little kids getting money from our parents for alcohol you are severely mistaken. Just because a person goes to a private school doesn’t mean they have it easy money wise, there a large number of people who struggle with money issues at the school."

It is interesting to see the perspective from someone that is part of the culture I am investigating. Obviously, Scotchy of Perth, feels as though his culture is very poorly misrepresented.

This touches upon a very important point in today's culture: the role of media. In many cases media can misrepresent both situations, such as the war in Iraq, and people, such as Scotchy of Perth. Media plays a very important role in the perception of various people, and ultimately the way they are viewed. For example, Gossip Girl is a very popular tv drama in today's socitey. This show portrays the ritzy New York City lifestyles characters like Blair and Serena experience. Both are extremely wealthy, and gallivant around New York City without a care. Below is an clip from this popular television show. Just from this 2 minute and 6 second clip, it is easy to see how this show helps to support the various stereotypes thought about wealthy teenagers.

http://blogs.news.com.au/perthnow/overthefence/index.php/perthnow/comments/are_these_kids_so_bad/


Blog Source: http://blogs.news.com.au/perthnow/overthefence/index.php/perthnow/comments/are_these_kids_so_bad/
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAQGTs9YIh4