Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous...

I was driving to the supermarket today, and heard a song that hasn't been played in a very long time-Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous by Good Charlotte. This song explores the "rich and famous" society of today, and how they complain, spend money frivolously, and act completely irrational. I used to think this song was hysterical, and I admit it, true. But after doing the little bit of research I've done about this culture, it's not at all the case. It's interesting to see the stereotypes we put on different cultures within our society. I've included the video and lyrics for this song.

Good Charlotte - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous | Music Videos | SPIKE.com

Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous lyrics
Good Charlotte
Always see it on t.v.
Or read it in the magazines
Celebrities want sympathy
All they do is piss and moan
Inside the rolling stone
Talkin'about how hard life can be

I'd like to see them spend a week
Livin' life out on the street
I don't think they would survive
If they could spend a day or two
Walkin' in someone else's shoes
I think they'd stumble and they'd fall
They would fall... (fall)

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous
They're always complainin'
Always complainin'...
If money is such a problem
Well they've got mansions
Think we should rob them

Well did you know when you were famous you could kill your wife
And there's no such thing as 25 to life
As long as you've got the cash, to pay for Cochran
And did you know if you were caught and you were smokin' crack
McDonalds wouldn't even wanna take you back
You could always just run for mayor of D.C.

I'd like to see them spend a week
Livin' life out on the street
I don't think they would survive
If they could spend a day or two
Walking in someone else's shoes
I think they'd stumble and they'd fall
they would fall

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous
They're always complainin'
Always complainin'...
If money is such a problem
Well they've got mansions
Think we should rob them

Lifestyles of the rich and the famous
They're always complainin'
Always complainin'...
If money is such a problem
They've got so many problems
Think I could solve them

Lifestyles of the rich and famous
We'll take your clothes, cash, cars and homes just stop complainin'

Lifestyles of the rich and famous...
Lifestyles of the rich and famous...
Lifestyles of the rich and famous



Lyrics found at: http://www.elyrics.net/read/g/good-charlotte-lyrics/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-famous-lyrics.html
Video found at: http://www.spike.com/video/good-charlotte/2787764

"At least we can afford the real stuff..."

My boyfriend and his family live right outside of Queens in New York City. This past weekend, my best friend and I decided to take a trip to see him and go the city on Saturday. Some of the most common things in New York are the replica watch and handbag stands scattered along the streets. They're just as much a part of the city as the Empire State Building and Times Square. My friend, my boyfriend's mom and I stopped at one of these stands and decided to take a look. None of us are able to afford a real designer bag, but it's fun to have one that looks like it. I had pick up a fake Coach bag right as a few young girls, no older then 17, walked by. One laughed, and I turned as she grabbed my attention. As I turned around her, I heard her say to her friends "I'm so glad my family can afford the real stuff! I wouldn't be caught dead with a fake purse on my arm!" The other girls giggled and nodded, and the 4 walked on. I was at first severely offended. Many New Yorkers say that too much judgment is placed upon them because of the way the act and live, but here is one doing exactly that to me, and the other people at the purse stand. I turned to my boyfriend's mother, and we both just started to laugh. We made our purchases and walked on.

I'm in no way saying that I think this is how all New York teenagers act, but they way these 4 carried and presented themselves shocked me. Of course, not all New York City teenagers would be so bold, but they way the cackled as they walked on was just offensive. There are numerous websites where you can literally borrow a purse like a movie or a library book at sites such as http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/ it’s impossible to assume that anyone is carrying the “real thing.” As I said in my last post, it is actions of these girls that I hope to gain an understanding for by the end of my cross-cultural encounter.

Image Source: http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/BCO1869.jpg

Introduction to My Cross-Cultural Encounter

I was raised on clearance racks and two for one specials. My clothes are primarily from Target, or sale racks at various department stores. I’ve never fully understood the point of buying $700 dollar Gucci jeans or a $1000 Louis Vuitton purse.

I also had a very strict childhood. My father was a teacher at the middle school I attended, and it's all business with him and my mother. If I was more then 5 minutes late for curfew, I was grounded for a week. I was never allowed to have parties or go to parties, and my parents would never think of buying alcohol for my friends and I.

It’s interesting to me however, that teenagers the same age as me don’t have the same standards. Walking down the streets of New York City you can see girls toting their Prada purses, and having lavish penthouse parties. In today’s day and age, there are countless newspaper and magazine articles telling the stories of parents buying alcohol for their underage children saying that “they’d rather them do it in the house, and not ruin the family name.”

This “Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll” teenage culture is something that intrigues me. There are many aspects of the culture that I disagree with, and some that I just don’t understand. Throughout this cross-cultural encounter, I hope to participate in this group in some way, and ultimately gain a sense of cultural relativism when it comes to these teenagers. I may not agree with some of the practices of this culture, but I hope over the course of the next 10 weeks to gain an understanding of just exactly why they do what they do.



Image source: http://blogs.smh.com.au/lifestyle/asksam/girls-partying.jpg