Crap Culture

I like crap. Not, you know, actual feces, but things that have little redeeming artistic value. I admit this freely. And I don't think it's a bad thing, as long as you don't try to pass it off as a work of genius.

Exhibit A: Gossip Girls. It's Dawson's Creek meets Cruel Intentions. Neither of which were good, but enjoyable. Gossip Girls doesn't have amazing acting, or great scripts. Even the premise makes me want to rip out my hair: a bunch of rich kids running around New York complaining about how their daddy took their T-Bird away…and instead *only* gave them a private limo and a vespa, a Guchi bag and a shopping spree at some Paris designer store. It says that the abuse of money is ok, and that our culture – so focused on the public and humiliating downfall of celebrities – is entertaining and worth our time. It's horrible. And I should hate it. But I almost cried when Jenny showed up for Thanksgiving dinner, and I could not speak when Blair had sex with Chuck. Because I am completely addicted to Gossip Girls.

Exhibit B: Twilight. Horribly written. I'm sure the movie's not gonna be much better. The plots are ridiculous, and the fact that the first book should really be two books, as there are two separate stories contained in the book (the love story and mystery of the Cullen family, then the hunt for Bella) drives me crazy every time I read it (and yes, I have read it multiple times, once while reading Edward's version at the same time). There is no amazing theme like the Harry Potter books, such as questioning the definition of good and evil. But I love me some Twilight, and I already bought my tickets for 12:01am Friday morning for the first movie.

Exhibit C: Pop-Punk, case in point, All Time Low. Though they have grown up a small amount since I first saw them, for the most part they're still the high-school pranksters that idolize the dick and fart jokes of Blink-182. They can play better than some crappy garage bands…but that's not saying much. They can write some fun and pretty lyrics, but they're no "Beatles" writing "Imagine." But I have seen them now 18 times, and have driven 3+ hours to see them.

I have been told – by more than one person - that my generation has great crap-detectors. The reason why people stopped paying attention to us was because they didn't know how to sell us stuff. But somehow, these crappy things are getting through. Because I watch Gossip Girl every Monday night, and I've spent probably more than 50 bucks on Twilight *before* the $10 movie tickets, and god knows I'm still spending money on All Time Low concert tickets (as well as Boys Like Girls, Valencia, Cobra Starship, Cute is What We Aim For…).

The only explanation I have is pretty obvious: because they're fun. I work in Beverly Hills, and live in Monterey Park. I'm out of my house from 8am to almost 8pm. Before that I was a full time student, trying to juggle internships and jobs and planning for my future while keeping up good grades. In high school I was called "the over-achiever" because of all my extra curriculars plus AP classes, plus picking up extra instruments just for fun. And as far back as I can remember, dinner table discussions were focused on anger: over Bush, the cost of my dance classes, or what my grandmother said to piss off my mom that week.

Our lives have been focused on fear-mongering. And no, I'm not going on a Bush rant now (though who knows, maybe some day I will). I'm talking about parents, teachers, family friends. My junior and senior years, everyone wanted to know where I wanted to go to college, and it was unacceptable to answer that I wasn't particularly looking forward to more school. My whole adolescent life was spent living up to other's expectations. And though it felt that way at the time, I know I wasn't alone in those feelings. We all needed an escape. Many (let's not lie, most) of the people I know turned to alcohol (yes, some of us as early as 8th or 9th grade). Escape the glaring, judging eye of the parents, and get wasted…then spend the rest of the evening joking about stupid shit you come up with while wasted (and some of those inside jokes live on today).

But we also turn to our own fantasy pop-culture (by the way, I include Gossip Girls and crappy music in fantasy). We want to see these perfect lives we could have…we could be dating the perfect gentleman, Nate Archibald, or the even more perfect (and even more gorgeous) Edward Cullen, even if we're as plain (or annoying) as Venessa or Bella; we could start our own business at 15, and run away and live with friends; we can start a band with our friends and tour the country (without those pesky parents), even if we aren't the next John Lennon.

So what's the point? I dunno. But I'm sick of people telling me the things I watch or read or listen to are crap. I know. But when I'm in the mood to feel like I'm 16 again, escaping the pressures of AP English, I'm still going to turn to them.


www.stepheniemeyer.com/
www.myspace.com/alltimelow