Well, I seriously doubt this will win me any new friends and
perhaps could cause me to lose some, but you know me, if I got something to
say, I am going to say it.
Personally I think the Harlem Shake is goofy. Not unlike the way I feel about Gangham
Style. And maybe 20 years ago I could
see myself getting down and jiggy with both of these internet phenomenons. Truthfully, my body doesn't move that way
anymore. That being said…for those who
do not know, (and I always think it’s good to have my facts about something
before I yap on about it) here are two links imperative to read if you want to
understand just what the fuss is all about and how it came to fruition.
Now that I have given you the opportunity to read for
yourself and familiarize yourself on this topic, I can continue with my
rant.
Unless you live under a rock and don’t know much about
YouTube, you would not realize that the Harlem Shake has gone viral and 1000’s
of groups of people all over the country, the world really, have done their own
version and videotaped it. I am serious…thousands
of groups of people. One being a local
high school, Knoxville Jr/Sr High., located in Knoxville, Illinois (west
central Illinois.)
Anyway, I would love to give you a link to watch said video,
but I cannot because it had to be taken down and made private. It is my understanding that the young man who
made the video got in quite a bit of trouble at school. It is also my understanding that a local TV station also asked to air the video along with all the others it had collected on a piece it was doing about how viral this thing had become.
If you knew anything at all about the Harlem Shake
phenomenon before you watched this video from Knoxville, I promise you would
laugh. Or you should laugh. Because it was merely a copy of the
original. I don’t know who the hell said
this, but it’s the God’s honest truth… “Imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery.” This was no more than a high
school and a group of some of the kids that attend it, mimicking one of the
biggest viral, internet phenomenons of its kind. Maybe you don’t think it is the phenomenon I
continue to call it? Then perhaps you
should Google that word as well. Because
of this video and the song associated with it, the way a piece of music gets
promoted, marketed, sold, etc, has forever been changed. Again, if you read the wiki description
above, you will know this. If you make
music in any capacity; write it, play it, produce it, sing it, what the hell
ever, your career has been changed. I
guess if you don’t do any of those things then it wouldn't matter to you.
As mentioned above, to my knowledge the child who filmed this
was reprimanded. The filming took place
with the principal present and with permission from said individual. After the child was reprimanded he was told
that he was only given permission on the grounds that it would be
appropriate. I don’t know about you, but
if I didn't have a clue what it was that the student was asking me to do, I
think I would have Googled it before granting permission, but what do I
know.
I sat back and watched the commentaries unfold on Facebook
about it. Good, bad, indifferent, ugly,
whatever, everyone is entitled to their opinions. I am not sure what message this child was
supposed to get from an administration that granted him permission one minute,
but after a pretty public backlash, then punished him. I do not believe he would have been punished had
so many people not complained about it, and mostly complained about its
inappropriateness. An issue that
probably could have been resolved and the video never even shot, had someone
bothered to see what it was even about in the first place.
I am not blasting the administration. I’m not blasting the kids or their parents. I promise, that every kid that participated
in that video, has seen or watched something far worse than that, with OR WITHOUT
their parents present. Were there inappropriate
displays in the video, yeah, I guess. AGAIN,
why didn't someone see what this was even about before ALLOWING them to do it
if they felt this way? But getting out
there and point blank calling the kids’ parents hypocrites? BE VERY, VERY, VERY CAREFUL when you do
this. I promise you it will come back
and bite you in your ass. Maybe not
anytime soon, but it will. If you have a
problem with the administration allowing this, address that. If you have a problem with kids’ parents,
address that. But even having no kids
myself? I would be more apt to go after
a parent whose kid was a big bully, versus a parent who allowed their kid to
dance around like a gyrating idiot. My
next question is, if you and your child were not involved in any way, why do
you care if they look inappropriate and stupid?
If you care because the school is allowing one thing and not other
things, then isn't your issue with the school itself?
I sincerely respect parents and their desire to keep their
kids away from anything inappropriate.
It’s not easy. Especially in
today’s world. But wouldn't that require
not owning a TV or any other electronic device, but also homeschooling your
child? How else do you keep them away from it?
I don’t know…I guess I have probably pissed a lot of people
off at this point, and it is, merely my opinion. I don’t care if you thought it was
inappropriate. That is your
opinion. But if you think that is what
this is about you missed my point entirely.
HAVING NO CHILDREN of my own I can name 5 things off the top of my head
that are worse than having a child or allowing my child to act out a video that
contains actions that they can turn on VH1 or MTV at any moment and see.
Have I mentioned I don’t have any kids of my own?
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