American Girl

“Growing up female in America. What a liability! You grew up with your ears full of cosmetic ads, love songs, advice columns, whoreoscopes, Hollywood gossip, and moral dilemmas on the level of TV soap operas.” - Erica Jong

I think about this quote a lot. I find it ironic that this was written over 30 years ago but seems to ring truer now more than ever. These things are ever present in our society. I mean, have our lives really become a reality TV show? It sure feels like it. Has this become the American Dream? And if so, what are we teaching our children? (I don't mean "our" children as in yours and mine specifically: think younger cousins, neices, nephews. etc) I have never been one for Hollywood gossip. I don't read US weekly and I'm usually the last to know whose dating who, who broke up with who, whose dating someone who broke up with the other one whose now dating someone new. (I really didn't mean to rhyme there; sometimes I just can't help myself) I'm also not a huge fanatic of these reality TV shows about D list celebrities.

One in particular that seems to be appearing everywhere right now is the one with that annoying "actress" from the Bachelor a couple seasons ago. I only know who she is because I watched the last few episodes of the season she was on (she won by the way) and I found her so irritating that it was impossible to forget her. Her voice alone...Anyway, I guess the relationship with her and what's his name didn't exactly work out (shocker) and now E has given her her very own reality TV show with her dad, who is apparently an actor although I've never head of him?? I caught the end of one episode (it comes on before Chelsey Lately) and I could not stop watching. Not because I liked it but more because I was completely fascinated by the fact that this person actually had her own television show and, that people actually watch this shit.

MTV's The Hills has created quite a different view of the "American Girl." One that frankly, kind of scares me. When we are being taught that all we have to do is wear designer clothes, hang out with semi-famous people and act like a total dumb ass to get our own TV show, where do we go from here?...This weekend I visited my younger sister in College Station, she's 21 and was getting her college ring. (Apparently this is more important than losing your virginity to Aggies) Anyway, some charming young gentlemen told me I looked like I was 15. I'll admit, at first I was a little shocked. I found myself speechless, (something that doesn't happen to me very often) however, after a little reflection I wasn't all that surprised. I mean, look at the 15 year olds these days?! Some of them do look my age - some of them look older than I do, and they definitely wear more makeup. If this any indication of our future, I'm not having children.

But seriously, I'm not completely bashing reality TV here. I'll admit that if I'm bored and don't feel like using my brain in any capacity, I will indulge in a little watching of The Hills. (I actually prefer The City, I'm more of a New York kind of girl myself) I guess watching people who are more overly dramatic than you are can be pretty entertaining. Not to mention it makes you feel a little better about your own soap opera of a life, but I do wonder about the lines that continue to blur between the Tween/Teen world and that of us adults. I'll never forget when my ten-year-old cousin told me about her trip to Mexico and how she bought a white swimsuit so she could show off her tan stomach. This was funny and slightly horrifying at the same time. Show off to WHO?! I wanted to say...you're ten. Instead I of course played along like this was a completely normal conversation for a 24 year-old to be having with her. I perpetuated the situation because a part of me remembered that little girl in myself. The one who thought I looked pretty damn sexy in my teal one piece. (I didn't).

That got me to thinking, are things really getting worse...or am I just getting old?

Well, Until next time...