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
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sweeet 16...
Posted by Jess at 10:31 AM
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3 comments:
Coming from a working class family myself, and, like you, growing up at stores like Target and Sears, I think this topic is extremely interesting. I think it will provide insight for a lot of people who also don't have much exposure to the lifestyles of these teenagers. This is a perfect example of a cross cultural encounter. So far you have done a very good job at looking at both sides of the spectrum; your first-hand account of your encounter with some such teenagers in New York City was thoughtfully balanced by the excerpt that you used from a blog where an upper class teenager tried to defend themselves.
However, in other entries it might be fun to see the justification behind the way some teenagers act. For example, in the Super Sweet 16 entry, I think it would be telling to hear why some of these teens think that its necessary to have such lavish parties. I also believe that the depth of your blog could be improved if you provided a little more personal analysis along with things such as the blog excerpts or the Good Charlotte song.
Some statistics related to underage drinking or drug use in glamorous neighborhoods or teen sex would also be extremely telling. I know toward the beginning of your blog you mentioned the sex-capades that teens seem to routinely participate in (Gossip Girl is also a good example of this), but I think it would also be interesting to devote an entry to exploring youth sex culture. From doing research for my own blog about sex in public places, I have come to hear many personal narratives about the promiscuous sex lives of college students, and it might be interesting to mention some more about sex in your own blog.
One last aspect that could be up for exploration would be why these teens feel it is necessary to display their wealth. Where does this culture come from? There are plenty of wealthy people in the world who still live modestly, and one might never know of their success; but why is it different for these teens, or even for their families who feel the need to put themselves on a pedestal?
Overall I think your blog topic is very intriguing and I think it will do a lot to help people understand this American sub-culture better.
I really enjoyed your topic for your blog, as I see our generation participate in this behavior all the time. It’s become a real problem, as people our age have become really out of control with their partying. I am part of SGA and had to chaperone a dance three weeks ago. I was completely shocked by everyone’s behavior at the dance, as most everyone was insanely drunk. There were people dancing on the tables, throwing up on the carpet and in the bus, and smashing glasses on the floor. When I asked another member how they could possibly act like that, he didn’t even bat an eyelash and told me how we were banned from every hotel in Boston for our “rock’ n roll” behavior. I liked how you cited people who experienced different adolescences from our own and how you compared to then and now. I also enjoyed the good charlotte lyrics as music does play a big role in our actions and behavior. You could have stated your opinion a little more and other peoples’ opinion from our campus about this new craze. I also enjoyed reading about your own experience with the “rich girls”. It has become crazy that girls expect each other to be decked out in designer gear all the time. I think you should interview teenagers who live this lifestyle as getting their opinion would be an interesting read. I also think that since you’re blog focuses predominantly on females, you should show some examples the male “rock’ n roll” lifestyle. It seems that our culture focuses mostly on rich teenage girls than boys and it would be interesting to see why that is. You should also add some statistics on how teenage lifestyles have changed (i.e. increase in drinking, drug consumption, etc). You also need to post some more blogs so be sure to do that soon!
Good introduction. You do a great job of explaining why it is you’re interested in the topic and why it is you wrestle with the cultural practice. I thought I was in good how you included Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous by Good Charlotte. It shows how this cultural practice is largely media driven. In “At least we can afford the real stuff.” I feel as though you alluded to a good point. Why is the really thing better than the fake? Because what is really comes down to is that they are both just purses. Is there really a difference? It shows that this cultural practice is directly related to the United States obsession with gluttonous capitalism. It would be interesting to find out the perspective of the teenagers who feel they need to engage in illegal activities and need to flaunt their wealth. It would be interesting to ask them why they participate in such practices. I also wonder if the culture of the “lifestyles of the rich and famous teenager” is something that is occurring globally and if it is how teens from other countries compare to those in the United States. Do they participate in the culture for the same reasons?
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