MTV
I hate MTV. Their programming makes me want to vomit. All of the shows are so base, so shallow, and the audience is expected to eat it up. I know that I'm no longer in MTV's target audience, but even when I was, they showed nothing that interests me. How many times can I watch a bunch of shallow, pretentious, snobbish, teens booze it up, party, bicker, and argue. I can't stand seeing the musicians idolize their own wealth. I think what irks me the most is that MTV portrays itself as the voice of the youth, but I know that is the farthest thing from the truth. If today's youth had the MTV mentality, we would be doomed. Unfortunately, my wife loves MTV. She can't get enough Road Rules, Real World, Sorority Life, Fraternity Life, etc... So I've got even odds that when I wander into the living room, I'm gonna hear about some phat crib, some dope write, or how that bitch stole my brush, so I'm not gonna talk to her anymore. Grow up. It's all mind control. MTV wants to get America's youth so brainwashed that they'll follow whatever they suggest as the next fad. "Oh, you know what you just MUST see... Spiderman!" To hell with that, spider-man sucked! I can't think of a single MTV movie that would be worth 1/4th of the price of admission. But if enough zombies sit through enough hours of that hype, they'll start thinking, hey, it wasn't that bad. I hope the youth are smart enough to see it for what it is, a marketing machine hell bent on controlling the dollars that our jailed youth have.

That's right, jailed. There aren't any bars, or chains, or hand-cuffs, but america's youth is jailed. If it's not mind control on TV, it's thought police at school. You can't wear certain colors in school, might indicate your in a gang. And no shirts that make a statement, we wouldn't want to offend anyone. They're expected to line up in a nice neat little row and get stamped out like product on an assembly line. They're told what to wear and what not to wear, what they are allowed to say, and what not to say, when they can sit, when they can stand, where, when, and how. It's no small surprise to me that some kind flips out every once in a while. It's too much pressure. Lighten up! And for crying out loud, don't try and pawn the blame off on some video game, or violent music, or some other half-assed excuse. If the kid messes up, then they messed up. Sure, there may have been signs, or contributing factors, but it comes down to one person making a decision. Bad or good. Parents, you are responsible for setting a good model. Don't expect the CD labels, the video game labels, the ratings industry, or anyone else to do your job for you. You are responsible for raising your children, setting a good example, and making sure they turn out all right. Don't ask the video game industry to stop selling violent games to your kids because you don't have time to check out what they are interested in. Don't ask the record industry to restrict certain CD's from minors because you don't have time to get to know what your kid likes. You aren't helping anything by putting all of these road blocks in place. You are just alienating the youth more. Making them feel powerless. Making them feel like second class citizens just at a time when the importance of individuality and self are at their peak.

Man, where did all that come from? :-) I guess I had a rant in me tonight that just wanted out.