I have a public obsession as many of my friends do with the show Gossip Girl. It is somewhat of a cult classic about the lives of Upper East Siders or as Gossip Girl refers to them, "Manhattan's Elite." I have been a fan from the beginning not only because teen rituals and rights of passage are my guilty pleasures, but because it is from the creators of an old favorite of mine, The OC. Tonight is the season finale and I just can't wait!!! My friends and I all have our favorite characters, but I feel like my heart is attached to the relationship between Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass, which tonight will either rekindle or crash and burn in a dramatic encounter at the top of the Empire State Building. How fantastic and yes, unrealistic.
It does make me wonder how these teen characters have evolved since I was in high school. I remember the shows My So Called Life, Popular and Dawson’s Creek. They were all about teen angst, personal acceptance and the relationships between girls and boys (mostly G rated stuff.) I mean, who can forget Claire Danes confusion of being in love with a sexy and brooding Jared Leto. H.O.T.
Anyway, I don’t know if the “in crowd” in the late 1990’s could imagine having a wardrobe of designer clothes and a personal driver at their beck and call, let alone drinking martinis in swanky bars at 17. Of course it is disturbing to me that a show about teenagers is a show that appeals to my generation but thankfully, we know better and view as entertainment, not reality. I mean, I can’t help but love the storylines which consist of blackmail, manipulation, greed, sex, deception and even politics (Thank you Trip Archibald.)
However, it really offers no “real life lessons” such as consequences for your actions, quality of friendships and respect for others. I fear when young teenagers watch the show it can take on a literal meaning for them. I guess I wonder if teenagers are allowed to watch (which I know they are) and if they truly believe they have to buy their friends, wear ridiculously expensive clothes and manipulate their boyfriends to have a lasting relationship. I feel so lucky that all Joey was worried about was falling off the ladder and breaking a limb on the way into Dawson's room. Geeze, so innocent.
It does make me wonder how these teen characters have evolved since I was in high school. I remember the shows My So Called Life, Popular and Dawson’s Creek. They were all about teen angst, personal acceptance and the relationships between girls and boys (mostly G rated stuff.) I mean, who can forget Claire Danes confusion of being in love with a sexy and brooding Jared Leto. H.O.T.
Anyway, I don’t know if the “in crowd” in the late 1990’s could imagine having a wardrobe of designer clothes and a personal driver at their beck and call, let alone drinking martinis in swanky bars at 17. Of course it is disturbing to me that a show about teenagers is a show that appeals to my generation but thankfully, we know better and view as entertainment, not reality. I mean, I can’t help but love the storylines which consist of blackmail, manipulation, greed, sex, deception and even politics (Thank you Trip Archibald.)
However, it really offers no “real life lessons” such as consequences for your actions, quality of friendships and respect for others. I fear when young teenagers watch the show it can take on a literal meaning for them. I guess I wonder if teenagers are allowed to watch (which I know they are) and if they truly believe they have to buy their friends, wear ridiculously expensive clothes and manipulate their boyfriends to have a lasting relationship. I feel so lucky that all Joey was worried about was falling off the ladder and breaking a limb on the way into Dawson's room. Geeze, so innocent.
I hope teenagers have the sense to find the truth in all of this and I feel for the parents who are trying to navigate this new world of teen drama. Good luck and please, leave cliff notes for all future parents out there, I know its only going to get harder.
In the words of my favorite gossip, "you know you love me, xoxo."
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