Does Rebecca Black's "Friday" video send the wrong message to teens about Car Culture?

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on March 31, 2011 at 9:49am

Permalink Reply by Liz on March 31, 2011 at 10:11am

Children are attracked to different things than adults.  I loved New Kids on the Block.  I could spend hours and hours listening to New Kids on the Block as a girl. 

 

There are many things I enjoyed in childhood that expeiencing now is down right terrible (NKOTB, Teanage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and there are some things that are just well done and still enjoyable (The Muppet Show, classic Disney Movies). 

 

Learning exactly what it is that apeals to children and producing work that encourages a caring, educated, and friendly society provides a positive message in a way children understand and enjoy. 

 

You may not like the language tweens speak, but its still important to get through to them and what messages they are hearing.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on March 31, 2011 at 10:24am

That interpretation assumes a rather sharp divergence from the central themes of the song, namely "I am a person in a place at a time" and within the full context, the tick tock tick tock converges with "check my time, it's friday" 

 

The overall theme throughout the piece is being free of desire or want and finding oneness with the Now, a tween koan.

John Greenfield said:

Peenworm Grubologist,

 

I believe the lyrics prove that this individual is, in fact, expressing road rage since the schoolbus is actually in front of him, not next to him:

"Fast lanes, switchin’ lanes
Wit’ a car up on my side (Woo!)
(C’mon) Passin’ by is a school bus in front of me
Makes tick tock, tick tock, wanna scream"

 

This man says he is so enraged by being temporarily delayed by a bus full of schoolchildren that he wants to scream. This is precisely the selfish, dangerous attitude of many drivers that makes it so important for us to film the video "Bike Friday" as a response, showing kids that bikes are a much safer, friendlier and cooler way to get to school and parties than cars. We're planning to shoot the video at Kidical Mass in Palmer Square Park, 3000 W. Palmer, on Saturday, April 9, from 11 - 11:30 am. All are welcome.

 

- John Greenfield

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on March 31, 2011 at 10:47am

Peenworm Grubologist (if that is, in fact your name),

 

Point taken - I think your different interpretation of the lyrics is as valid as mine.

 

Koan is a good word to use when talking about this song. I think part of the charm

of the video its depiction of the paradoxes and dilemmas that confront a young teen

every day, such as:

 

"Kickin' in the front seat

Sittin' in the back seat

Gotta make my mind up

Which seat can I take?"

 

Much has been written about Ms. Black's hesitancy to call "Shotgun."

It just occurred to me that, true to her modest nature, when faced with

a convertible with two kids in front and two in back, she actually does make

a decision to humbly sit in the back, in the middle, the least desirable

position in the car. So she's not as indecisive as she has been portrayed in the media.

 

OK. This has been a fun, enlightening discussion but it no longer has anything

to do with bicycles, so I think I'm going to close the thread. Thanks for participating

and see you at the "Bike Friday" video shoot at Kidical Mass in Palmer Square, 3000

W. Palmer, Saturday, April 9, 11:00 - 11:30 am."

 

Have a "fun, fun, fun, fun" day!

 

- John Greenfield

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