This article originally ran in the print edition of The Advocate dated Feb. 11.
By Lorenzo Cisneros |
Recently there has been a concern about a new TV series on MTV called “Skins” and what it presents to the teenagers of America.
Critics have been criticizing the show non-stop. Many feel the show should be canceled and the producers should be sued for the “unlawful” acts presented by the TV show. All of this is an exaggeration. Society is trying to cover up what people deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Many people, mainly from an older generation, look down on the new series. They claim the series takes things “too far” in what some people have called “the real life of an American teenager.” The new series airs many different scenes with the involvement of controversial issues including: drugs, sex, homosexuality, smoking, alcohol abuse, partying, theft, and peer pressure.
There have been many heated discussions between MTV producers and sponsors, which have lead to five of the sponsors dropping their advertisements during the showing period of Skins. The dropped advertisers include: Subway, H&R Block, Wrigley, GM, and Schick Hydro.
With all of this controversy arising, a question presents itself: Does society mirror media or does media mirror society? A question such as this is very similar to, What came first: The chicken or the egg?
All of these temptations presented by society started with one person pressuring another into trying something they have never tried before. From there, it spread like a wild fire in a dry forest in the middle of July. Until now some of these issues did not receive the attention that a situation like this should have recieved. Now that is it being aired on national television, people are worried. They are concerned with what is being acted by actors on a show. Their main concern is not about what is being done by real people in real life situations.
What is being shown on “Skins” is what really happens in the world. It something that can not be hidden. So instead of trying to get a show cancelled, critics should focus on the real situations.
If people were truly concerned with preventing what is showed on “Skins,” they would quit showing so much worry towards a TV show, and push their concern more towards their community with outreach programs.
What do you think? Vote in our poll on whether the show goes too far.
As someone who has heard the criticism’s of the show and decided to watch it a few times as a result, I feel that some of the criticism’s are on par, while other’s not so much.
For one thing, the events portrayed on “Skins” are far from reality. Even the rowdiest of teenage partiers rarely engage in what is shown on that show. While the actions may be similair, “Skins” shows these events in an unprecedentedly polarizing extreme.
However, while I agree with those criticism’s, I do agree that the problems should be adressed in kids actions, rather than the show. When it comes down to it, “Skins” is still a mindless television show on MTV, which in the past has fed American’s mindless junk such as Jersey Shore and The Real World. Anyone who honestly expects any better of MTV or finds fault with the content of the show probably has no business watching MTV or having it in on their cable subscription.
pesonally this a good reading . however i really don’t think that people can compare real highschool students to the ” high school” students on skins !!!!!!