Lauren Greenfield/Fast Forward Ten Years

Fast Forward Ten Years

In this reading, Lauren Greenfield emphasizes on the glamourized world through the eyes of pre-teens and teenagers. She expresses that they seem to be "hypnotized" by what they see in front of them. Her main idea is that the media mainly influences their lives. She says, "The popularity of reality television and the phenomenon of the "web cam" have glorified celebrity as a worthy and attainable goal for young people.". That has basically become a part of their everyday lives.
Today, it is obvious that young girls look up to people like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. There are some cases when some of the girls really admire them because of their talent. However, I feel that the majority of teenage girls just look up to them because of the way that they present themselves. Britney and Christina can also be known for their style which is suggestively sexy. Greenfield says, "Precocious sexuality among teens and pre-teens is now a familiar part of the cultural fabric.". I have to say that I agree with that because this has become more popular than ever before.

One thing I do not understand is why people like Britney and Christina are absent from this reading. The right people pertaining to this reading are present but it is the actual influences on the people that are missing. In my perspective, the influences are people like Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. While I was looking at the photos from the reading, I did not see anyone like that. Also, I did not see any pop stars.

This reading does relate to Thomas Hine's reading. They both express upon influences and how they can affect a teenager's life. Whether it be family members or glamourized celebrities, they are the ones who have a big impact on teenagers' lives. Even Tricia Rose's text has a connection to Greenfield's text. They both express upon the economic side of the media. Whether it is buying a 50 Cent CD or purchasing a J-Lo jacket, teenagers are always excited by what their favorite singer or role model has for them.

I really enjoyed reading Greenfield's work because, I too, am fascinated with the media as she is. The media is part of everyday culture that will continue to be existent for generations to come.