MTV’s version of popular culture

August 1, 2006 in Youth

As a teenager, I felt a little left out and ‘out of it’ because my home cable wasn’t hooked up with MTV(India). I’d consistently fail to enter random conversation about music and only knew artists I heard on radio. (there was only one FM channel then and it had a propensity to play, It’s a groovy kinda love) When I finally caught on to the MTV-India mania, I realized just how far behind I was in terms with pop culture and just how close I was to social suicide. The MTV VJ’s seemed super cool and a part of me wanted to be just like them. Blonde highlights, hinglish slang and a fun, carefree disposition became my mantra for assessing cool. This craving for cool turned into a counter rebellion and everything Indian  MTV VJ’S did, wore and said began to look like a cheap imitation of MTV-America. The VJ’s seemed ‘wannabe westerns,’ and I joined the subgroup that thought it was cool to reject MTV. Phases. Phases.

In full disclosure, MTV’s The Hills and My Super Sweet Sixteen are on my flip-list. (shows I watch when I channel-surf because I can’t seem to remember the dates/times for these shows)

New York magazine does a fine job at outlining how MTV has altered popular culture in the last quarter century.