Reading Response #3

Gamban 6

Amanda Gamban

Professor Knapp

English 1A

14 April 2013

Reader Response #3: Killer Culture

            They type of life style, influences, and trends have always changed for every generation. In the article “Killer Culture” by David Kupelian illustrates to the reader that the influences and trends of today have a severe negative affect on the youth of America. Kupelian’s evidence and religious based opinions are strongly shown through this article, along with what he thinks can prevent and solve this troubled generation. He explains how morals have changed and what was once an extreme is now normal such as piercings,cutting, tattoos, rap music, and sex. His view on the generation of today is that teenagers have been corrupted by corporations and trends and then demonstrate no more respect for themselves of the people around them.          

            Kupelain revels how children have been influenced into what is “cool”. He states according the PBS Frontline documentary “Merchants of Cool” that, “major corporations-Viacom, Disney, AOL/TimeWarner and others-study American’s Children like laboratory rats in other to sell them billions of dollars in merchandise by tempting, degrading, and corrupting them” (654). To say that they are corrupting the minds of little children seemed at first a little extreme. If you think about it any type of business wants to insure satisfaction to their customers and they do so by discovering what they like. Through the eyes of Kupelain corporations manipulate children by wanting the newest of toys, shows, amusement parks, etc. by discovering what they like and then using it against them.  As he explains you start to consider his point of view because for example kids to adults always want the newest of things (smartphones, cars, clothes etc.) Kupelain states that, “ [corporations] look at the teen markets as a part of this massive empire they’re trying to colonize”. They are simply trying to win over and manipulate teenagers and kids to keep them for wanting more and more of their product.

            So what do teenagers and kids want more of? According to the article they want more intoxicating music, clothing, sex, books, films and trends that corporations produce. For example MTV and other networks are basically commercializing products for different companies to influence their watchers to buy their product or trend. MTV and other networks also show how teenagers are supposed to be, by producing raunchy and relaxed sexual TV shows, movies, and other products as well. Kueplain believes that, “Real Life and TV life have begun to blur”. He does have a point when it comes to networks relaxing sex when it comes to teenagers. Today’s society see's sex as a casual thing rather than a promise you are supposed to make to God, which does influence kids and faces them with the facts of the outcomes that come along with those actions. From a teenagers perspective you always want to try new things and these shows and trends might influence you, but that doesn’t necessarily brainwash you into doing raunchy devious acts.

            Kueplian strong religious beliefs and morals certainly don’t believe nor care for what society if doing to today’s youth. In the article he explains how self-mutilation such as cutting, piercing, and tattoos has become a common practice for teenagers. He explains that, “[they] feel as though they too, are moving not toward death, but toward life and greater “spirituality”” (658). He believes that they are going toward a spiritualty where you end up closer to the center of the earth rather than the sky. First of all tattoos and piercings are forms of expression and cutting it a more of a psychological problem. From a religious standpoint you could agree with his opinion, but from where the American society is today with freedom of expression in our blood his statement is a very old-fashioned and outdated.

            His archaic views have given him the idea of the only way for your children to not be influenced by these corporations and negative influences is to homeschool them. Also to choose their activities they should participate in. This is defiantly not the only way to raise your children to prevent them into becoming a horrible person in “Kueplian’s terms”. Many people go to public school and choose their own activities and don’t turn out rotten or brainwashed. Kueplian’s intentions are only to prevent children from being negatively influenced, which seems promising at first. Then as you read through the rest of the article, his views are biased and far to extreme to what is the reality of the actual situation.