I was on my MySpace homepage, doing nothing imporant honestly- because there really isn't anything important one does on there- and I noticed a review for a new-ish book; Unhooked by Laura Sessions Strepp discusses the "MySpace generation" and how "today’s high school and college kids have replaced relationships with 'the casual sexual encounters known as hook-ups'” (MySpace Review).
When I saw the review and visited the page, it discouraged me... a lot. Mostly because random hookups are happening. They happen on our campus, between our friends and classmates; and so many of us have become accustomed to this that we don't think twice about it happening half the time. The MySpace Generation (which, are we a part of?... right now I will classify them as the students we will be teaching) are also taking part in late night parties, hookups, and all the dangers that accompany those.
The MySpace Generation... at first I thought it was odd that Strepp connected the two together. But then I realized the hookups happen online too; teenagers, requesting and accepting friends over MySpace daily, don't always know who they are talking to, though they think they do. They might go to the same school, live in the same town, whatever, and decide to meet and "hookup." I don't know. This is one case where technology isn't always good for being mainstream and needs regulations.
12 years ago
4 comments:
Even though these sites can be used for hookups and other things which may pose danger to our students, I was impressed by the fact they are also used for such things as finding out about friends and classmates when things like the Virginia Tech massacre take place. My Space was one of the social networks where students were asked to put up a "I'm okay" note so others looking for them would know they were safe.
I guess everything has its good points as well as its bad ones. Thank goodness these kids had somewhere to turn so they could check on their friends/classmates.
Jessica, I really like that site u found on Unhooked. I read the article she wrote in the Washington post, err blog post about it anyway and it was very fascinating because it is exactly like what I am writing about in my feature article for Sarver's class. Check out my latest blog post on "sexualization of girls". but anyway, thank you for putting this up for us. =)
Jess, interesting yes. This (the hookup) is the kind of thing that lends itself to analysis from a critical media literacy perspective.
Jessica-
I saw this ad on MySpace, too, and I was very interested in the book. It reminded me a little of the "Hooking Up" feature article we read for Sarver's class, and casual sex really is becoming the norm. Like Dr. Stearns said, I really think that the media is to mostly blame for this for their constant bombardment of casual sex as "cool."
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