NO KIDDING?!

From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27506234/:

Study: Sex on TV linked to teen pregnancies
Exposure to high levels of sexual content can affect adolescents over time
In the world of television programming, sex sells — perhaps a little too well with young viewers, a new study suggests.
The RAND Corp. study is the first of its kind to identify a link between teenagers' exposure to sexual content on TV and teen pregnancies. The study, released Monday and published in the November edition of the journal Pediatrics, found that teens exposed to high levels of sexual content on television were twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy in the following three years as teens with limited exposure.
The study's authors are quick to point out that the factors leading to teen pregnancies are varied and complex — but they say it's important for parents, teachers and pediatricians to understand that TV can be one of them.

"We were surprised to find this link," said Anita Chandra, the study's lead author and a behavioral scientist at RAND, a non-partisan, non-profit research organization. "But teens spend a good amount of their time watching television — an average of three hours a day — and we don't know a lot about its impact on their health decisions …

"We don't think that (TV) is necessarily more significant than some of the family and neighborhood factors that can lead to teen pregnancies. But even when we removed all the other factors, we still saw a compelling link between a high exposure to sexual content on television and teen pregnancies."

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I quit watching primetime television about a year ago or so. It's astonishing how much less I can participate in conversations that go on at work, with my family and even with some of my friends. Everyone watches Dancing with the Stars or some other such show that doesn't appeal to me whatsoever. Sometimes I feel a pang of "Oh, I can't participate in this conversation, because I have no idea what you're talking about" and sometimes I breathe a sigh of relief because my head isn't filled up with stupid crap that media feeds the masses.

I'm most appreciative of my decision to quit watching tv on a regular basis when I catch a glimpse of the political propaganda...but there are times when I feel like I"m missing out on something. Because I work with teens, who like to watch tv-- and they're talking about popular culture, which is something I feel like I should know about in order to chat with them as we're doing DIY projects at the library or even when they stop in to say hello....sometimes I feel like I'm obligated to swallow some of the crap that is on television, if for no other reason than to be able to feel connected to them in some way and have something to chat about.

Ever since I stopped watching- the feeling of "I'm so glad I don't know that" has occurred much more often than feeling "left out". There are other things I find myself doing in place of watching television. I get on hulu and watch shows I like when I want to watch something. I go to the library and get movies and television series on DVD to watch on my computer before bed if I need to sit and stare at a screen. I particularly enjoy the nonfiction bits by the BBC and other random shows that only nerds watch. I also do crafts, surf the internet, and read books. Yes, I realize this is nerdy....but I think it's a better way to utilize my time. I'm also a firm believer in the fact that doing things other than sitting on my ass watching television burns calories. Whether I'm thinking about something, researching nonsense for my own benefit on the internet, or just can't get comfortable wherever I'm sitting to read a book- those are all calories burned instead of ass-widening tv watching.

(Much of my disdain for television is from living with a person who was highly addicted to television for two years. It disgusted me.)

ANyways, the thought has also occurred to me that television shows that appeal to teenagers and younger people are sexually charged-- and I am conflicted about this bit of info. As I was growing up, I didn't sit and watch television a whole lot- some of the reason stem from tv being monitored by my parents, but mostly I think it was because I was so busy with either sports, or theatre or piano lessons or being boy crazy and pining in my room over some guy who I was crushing on-- I don't know. I also believe that the age I became "sexually active" was young- but not directly a result of anything my parents did wrong, or any television I watched- though I was a big fan of 90210 when it was on. I have just always felt strongly that my decision as an adolescent to start making out with boys was something that wasn't really influence by a whole lot other than friends who were doing it- and talking about it- and pure curiosity.

So I've been thinking- if I have kids someday- how would I convince them that there is so much more out there to pay attention to- to watch, to experience, etc besides television shows that I honestly believe make people dumber? How would I ever convince a kid to pick up a book instead of watch the Hills or the OC or whatever else is super-cool thse days?

I get a lot of parents in the library looking for "good books" for their pre-teens and teens to read. This is when it gets sketchy. The parents obviously want to monitor content, and much of the Teen Pop Lit teeters on the edge of what's deemed "appropriate" by the conservative masses. A good portion of the patron population leans towards the conservative right, requesting Kinsbury and Janet Oke and other such "Inspirational" fiction that should more aptly be called "Christian". Thankfully I can guide thse parents towards the "Inspirational" teen formulaic fiction -- I have a few series to choose from....but even these exchanges have led me to think the following:

If I have kids- and they eventually grow up to be teens- I will do what I can to keep them busy and interested enough in other things besides television. And I will let them read whatever they want to read, book-wise. Whatever. They. Want. At least they're reading. They can imagine all the soft-porn they want while reading sexually charged teen novels littered with cussing. That can be their pop culture. But the television- that's a whole other story. Watching adolescent soft porn on primetime television borders on pedophilia and it makes me sick. If my kids are that interested in sex they can check out Judith Krantz novels at the library, where at least their reading comprehension skills and imagination will benefit.

Oh, and I'll give them birth control.