MTV is gradually robbing the youth of their personality. MTV is currently the leading authority on what's cool and what's not. In this essay I will discuss how MTV influences American youth and how Ralf Waldo Emerson might have agreed with the views expressed here within. MTV stands for Music Tele-Vision but has less to do with music then its name suggests. MTV is a corporate roll model.
             Emerson would agree that MTV preaches conformity through content. All of the people that appear to be normal are selected very carefully and must adhere to what the most recent definition of cool is. MTV celebrates the individual and then turns around and celebrates anyone that can be similar. MTV has perfected the technique of using ones weakness to his advantage, by finding ways to profit from their own hypocrisy. When a musician crosses into stardom, MTV immediately glamorizes whatever new or unique look or style, the artist developed and markets it to the youth as acceptable or cool. Incase of any doubt, the network has set up reality shows involving normal people (just like you?) who are wearing, acting, or displaying the product or belief that MTV wants to sell, therefor reinforcing the idea as mainstream cool. "For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure" Emerson so truthfully states in his essay Self-Reliance. The youth today is very concerned with image, and they have experienced acceptance when they trust the views and style that MTV dictates as cool. People often judge others based upon their appearance or opinion, and if one has an average or accepted appearance
             or opinion, than the majority will accept them. This is comforting to youth that are not really sure who they are yet, and whether or not people (especially the opposite sex) will like them. The youth have forfeited their individuality for the
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