A Generation of Jersey Shore

In this my seventh year of teaching, it seems as if to me that The Jersey Shore has become a paradigm by which many young men want to judge and construct their lives. It is not just Jersey Shore, it probably started with Cribs, took a wandering through "My Life is Bro" and has progressed to the Jersey Shore. I am sure some new show will pop up that every teenage guy will want to emulate.

I understand the entertainment factor in "The Situation". I get it. "GTL" and the such are fun things to say and laugh about; however, many guys can't make that distinction that the show is entertainment, or that any show like that is entertainment. They don't understand how it is manipulated and produced to garner a certain reaction and rating. To lots of young men, who lack much example of adult men, they see those guys as the epitome of "man." Ronnie is their John Wayne, their Michael Jordan.

And, so what, right? Who cares if "My Life is Bro" or "Jersey Shore" or any of those shows or websites effect young men correct? But it does bother me. We are raising a generation of "bruhs". A generation of men who talk, but don't say anything. They speak in a language of brand names over the aroma of axe body spray. A generation that gleams orange like a jumpsuit worn my convicts picking up trash. It is as if they think think talking like a "bruh", using terms like "run this place" and "grenade" will make people think they are cool and have large members.

I find it sad. I find it irritating. I worry about how they will communicate and lead families and businesses.

We have guys growing up with huge friend groups that talk about nothing but noise. They speak cars, they speak who has the biggest boobs, but they can't simply express worry. They can't say, "Hey, I wish my parents wouldn't fight." They can't tell a girl, "I like you." They can make click noises, point at her ass to their friends; they can wear sunglasses at night and rub their genitals all on them when they dance, but they can't utter a true feeling in the poor girls direction...even if they did want to.

I am not one of those types who believes sheltering kids or guys from this is really a good thing. I guess I should hope that the hidden good qualities of people on those shows and web pages will some how conquer all the inane image stuff they portray. I mean, the Jersey Shore guys really do seem to care about each other, and maybe somewhere deep under all the fake tan, the hair gel, they smush room covers, be able to have conversations that matter to each other. Maybe somehow that will get through the boob tube to people watching?

I guess this phenomena is one of the first times I have felt a generation gaps between me and my kids at school, and it bothers me. Not that there is a gap, but because the gap exists because of behaviors and beliefs that I find fairly worthless and equally dangerous. If we raise boys, raise guys who can't express anything, who only can express affection through "smushing," who truly do love their "bros" more than their "hos" we are looking at a generation of dead beat dads, of broken families, of daddy issued riddled young women, and would it all be due to Jersey Shore???? If you believe in pop culture butterfly effect, then yes I think it could be.