"Trash TV" Serves a Purpose

After watching countless episodes of "Teen Mom" and "Jersey Shore" (both on MTV) I have come to the realization that these seemingly shallow and ridiculous shows hold some actual value. They teach some, especially me, what I do not want in life and what I do not want to become. "Teen Mom" has taught me what I want and what I need in a husband and partner. So many of the fathers on this show, which features girls who got pregnant and became mothers around 16, do not take responsibility for their children. They do not want to take an active role in their child's life and do not pursue a loving, mature relationship with the mothers. "Jersey Shore" on MTV is much like a train wreck, its horrible but you just can't look away. The young people on the show can be so incredibly narcissistic, spoiled, and dramatic. The show holds no value other than entertainment. I watch it regularly, but usually to critique the young people who are so selfish and so self-involved that they cannot look beyond their own lives to more important matters than gtl. I never want to be seen as a sex symbol, nor valued for my looks over my intelligence. And while I enjoy being tan once in a while, I do not want to become a guidette and develop melanoma at age 27.