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This may be a case of the proverbial chicken first or egg question. Are our voyeuristic tendencies just being satisfied by an accommodating media? Or are we as a society being led to believe that we should be in awe and worship of these publicity hounds? Think back to when you were a teenager-whom did you admire? But also, whom did you fantasize about or live vicariously though?
Unfortunately, standards have dropped, both in the media and in the way we watch over our children, when they are even watched over. Which brings up another point. Many parents are absent too much of the time to guide the decision-making of their children. As someone who worked with young teens, I know that too many of them go home to empty houses, many times being alone well into night. They turn on their tv's and watch MTV, wrestling, anything that doesn't require much concentration or thought. They are permeated with no-talent screamers and announcers proclaiming how cool the violence they've just witnessed is, while knowing that these people are richer than anyone has a right to be. News channels are not even immune. They will say how horrible the following clip is, show it, then show it again, all the while proclaiming (in self-righteous tone), "wasn't that just horrible"... it hardens the viewer into zombie-like disinterest .
Media has the nasty habit of bringing the lowest of the low into the spotlight, ad nauseam and fueling both the subjects need for attention and the public's general feeling of the 'right to know' everything. Too bad it is so misguided that only the very rich or the very disgusting get the notice, while true, everday heroes toil along unnoticed, but truly making a difference in the lives they touch.
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