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Valentina Moreno Professor Vana DerOhanessian English 114A 29 October 2013 Our Alter Reality Humans are very curious and attention-seeking beings; we crave to be in the center of attention constantly. Our curiosity is very keen on chaos, spiteful arguments, war, and the demise of others, but not all of us are evil by heart. This wonder of ours hungers for the excitement and the intense feeling of adrenaline; something that the youth of today tends to seek. As technology has increased and our attention span has decreased throughout this decade, our sense of living recklessly has increased as much as our sense of reason has been tampered with. Though it is common to blame social media, it is most appropriate to say that part of the blame belongs also to the idols we love so much. Celebrities are every viewers alter-ego. In our modern society, there is nothing more glorified than reckless and audacious celebrities who captivate the minds of many people throughout our country. Social media has brought forth a period of danger in civility, education and humanity, leading teenagers towards a perilous and provocative life. Often times it is normal to escape what is our reality and replace it with other means. In this present time, life cant be enjoyed without any thrilling amusement. It isnt necessary to pull out statistics to show that the average American is constantly indulged in some sort of electronic device. It has become the norm to have such a mechanism attached to someones hands. However, there is nothing more urging than to be a famous idol, who possess a position as the main focus of media. Artist such as Snooki, Paris Hilton, Nicki Minaj, or Miley Cyrus, have

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acquired lives full of scandals and shocking reputations. They are the main focus of the latest gossip and critiques. While others might hate to be in their shoes, many would love to have the opportunity. It is common to see that the most funded forms of entertainment are reality television shows and explicit music videos. One fairly known example of a reality television show is the Jersey Shore, a show that is mainly focused on drunk young adults who continuously throw parties for the sake of a good time. Jersey Shore isnt the only reality show that films men and women having a good time, but throughout the years its aired, it has gained a lot of popularity and recognition. It is often familiarized as a content of reckless behavior, alcohol abuse, and other subliminal messages. Young viewers are able to see and take in what they understand about the show, and then imitate these perilous actions. As seen in their trailers for season 6, the cast members engage in acting childishly, when most of these men and women are past their legal age. Other cast members engage in drinking themselves sick. The male cast, asides from being intoxicated, busy themselves with fighting in public (Jersey Shore et.al.). Not only are their actions a danger towards themselves, they are also a danger to the viewers. The general audiences of this shows are malleable adolescents, who often times imitate the same actions; they're idols demonstrate on a rolling camera. The show also progresses to portray no form of abstinence, as its discovered that Nicole Polizzi, or Snooki, is pregnant due to irresponsible and unprotected intercourse. Besides that the television series tends to throw aside any morals, theyre behavior manifests the authority for their viewers to do the same. Confusing their audience by changing all the wrong substances of a risky lifestyle into what is normal, this contradicts what the country and its law force stands for. Their actions make it okay for other fans to follow, and commit any dangerous or irrational illegal actions. Though many people would disagree, I believe that this form of media sabotages all our

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forefathers have worked up, to establish into this humanistic society. Nevertheless, reality television networks arent the only critically claimed factor for the blow of damaging this generations growth, there are other forms of media that have done the same damage. Setting reality television shows aside, other artists have also brought their share in damaging our domestic community. For instance, Nicki Minaj in recent events has gained a lot of recognition for simply telling kids to stay in school (Florance et.al.), but it is ironic for this singer to say when her work is contained with explicit content that says so otherwise. For instance, in her newest music-video, High School, Minaj demonstrates the world of rich drug dealers, and thatcthe most powerful one has captivated her mind. Society already has a problem dealing with drug dealers/addicts at a young age, who are shattering their opportunities in the future. Even though Minaj does not bluntly point this out (High School et. al), the form of the film making clarifies what she has meant to say in her song. Regardless, the majority of this raptresss work contains unequivocal substances. Even so, in general, the genre of rap has brought forth complication in our grammar, as well as other forms of media that have misguided the proper form of the written language. Technology today has made many aspects of life easy, but it has made users to rely on what the media have thought them throughout the years. Most often you will constantly see people in the Internet typing things grammatically incorrect, or a huge part of the country misusing a word. This can most likely be seen in rap or sometimes other genre of songs that our idols have produced, which millions of their listeners have already heard. Buckley, a man who rants about social movements in YouTube, comments on the fact of how the media has dangerously changed our education to the worse. In his video, The Literal Butchering of the English Language, he comments on how grammatically wrong words such as bandz, "racks,"

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and even misused ones like swag and literally are in the English language. Buckley mentions how those words have often caused grammar resources like the Oxford Dictionary to add or change the general meaning of the word, and how new sources like Urban Dictionary are used to express oneself while writing. The cause of the misuse of grammar is the present form of media. Many rappers have formulated their form of grammar and words that arent really appropriate in terms to use in school or anywhere else. Furthermore, as time progresses, media continue to have either a negative effect upon the education or morality of this century. Though rappers like Minaj do get partial of the blame for immoralities, pop artist or other indie singers do contribute to the same causes that Minaj has encountered. In example, exDisney star Miley Cyrus, has grabbed the attention of thousands of people in recent events. Cyrus has bluntly changed in front of the eyes of her younger audience into a role model that primary grade students should not look up to. In her recent songs, the young artist has left her audience speechless by her mildly abnormal behavior and messages she has left for her viewers. Cyrus is desperately giving her best efforts to demonstrate her position as an adult by freely behaving irrationally, but her approach is unsuitable towards her younger audience. While the young singer expresses her need to agilely do anything she wants too, Cyrus does not acknowledge the fact that majority of her audience is young and dense, and can easily follow in her footsteps. Seeing my younger nieces following the latest trends their idols blog about doesnt leave a doubt in my mind that they can follow into their footsteps. Steeping away from being an actress specifically aimed for children is difficult, but it is still no excuse for Cyrus to demonstrate her fans the irrational way to break free from an unwanted image. Throughout the past few decades, social media has grown immensely within our society and has gradually changed the world we know today. Though media has helped inform and

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spread news quickly to an entire country, it has also moved it towards a thorny path. The production of a false reality, television shows like Jersey Shore have twisted and changed civility and rational-thinking of their influenced fans. Switching social taboos into social norms, has confused their viewers into acting out dangerous and illegal forms of entertainment. Idols like Minaj have claimed false titles to help the general public, when the delivery of their work contradicts their actions. Technology and media has established means of communication in the wrong ways, as many users misuse words and grammatically use incorrect forms of the written language. Media has also spread young viewers the wrong role-model such as Cyrus, as she is unable to demonstrate her younger audience the enrichment they need growing up. There are many negative ways that social media can damage society, but keeping a strong and open mind can prevent the bad absorption of what we take in.

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Works Cited itzDeaMan. Jersey Shore season 6 trailer. Online video clip.YouTube. YouTube, 7 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 Oct. 2013 NickiMinajAtVEVO. Nicki Minaj- High School (Explicit) ft. Lil Wayne. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 2 Apr. 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2013 ANTHONY, FLORANCE. "Nicki Minaj: Teacher of the Year?" New York Amsterdam News 102.51 (2011): 25. ContentSelect Research Navigator. Web. ADoseofBuckley. The Literal Butchering of the English Language- A Dose of Buckley. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013