Jackass

I remember watching my first episode of jackass at the age of fifteen and thinking that I was the most funny and crazy show I had ever seen. At the age of fifteen I remember stumbling across occasional movies and television shows with R rated content and it would make me feel good about myself because I could for the most part comprehend the program and it would make me feel older. The first time I watched Jackass the same rebellious nature would arise within me because I knew my parents wouldn’t approve of me viewing such a show but I remember feeling like it was the greatest show in the world and like it was made for myself. It’s no secret now that MTV’s TV series Jackass was largely targeted towards young men like myself and is probably the reason why I loved it so much. I still enjoy the Jackass movies that are still currently being put out for their entertainment value, but now at the age of 19 I feel a little more disenchanted with the content matter. This development in interest and maturity also reflects the fact that the show has been deemed responsible for many teenagers and children’s accident’s, which include sever injury and even death while emulating the dangerous stunts on the show.

I think the show has shed light on the teenage subculture of America and its recklessness due to popular media. Everyone understands that teenagers are at a rather gullible and malleable stage within their life because they are going through the process of maturing into an adult as well as trying to figure out their own place within society as adulthood nears. The television shows that target teenage audiences such as MTV have a lot of responsibility because they have the means to influence some of the most pliable minds. Corporations like MTV have always been criticized for some of its shows and the various messages it relays to its audience but I don’t think it has ever become clearer than with the airing of jackass that they are willing to harness the attention of teenagers at any expense.

Continuing along the lines of some of the other capitalism/corporation assertions on previous blog postings, I feel that MTV (along with many other company’s) are very greedy and willing to please the masses at any expense. Simply put, the ends justify the means. The shock value of the show is truly one of a kind and made it the success that it has become. As far as American culture is concerned I think the show directly relates to American corporate greed and the need to put out good television at any
cost.