Is it possible for us to learn important lessons from media, such as television, books, movies, or music and it for to be at the same time enjoyable for us to watch, read, or listen to? Or are the two exclusive, something that is enjoyable to watch, read, or listen to can’t possibly be good for us or teach us any lesson. It has been my experience that neither are exclusive to each other, that often times media can be both entertaining, pleasurable and also educational. Yet, these are not readily accessible, instead one has to sincerely look for them because you won’t find these types of things easily. One good place to find such entertaining educational programs is on the television network ABC Family, where they offer a wide variety of shows that both are fun to watch and also teach important lessons. These lessons are not only applicable to the children and young teens that watch the show, but to anyone (including a 24 year old male graduate student.) It has been on this channel that I have found shows that truly provoked me to think; Greek, which is about a group of college students, primarily a brother and sister both in the Greek system, and how they cope with their lives. The second show is The Secret Life of the American Teenager, a catchy show that uses young high school students and puts them into adult situations, yet doesn’t attempt to make them grown up. This is the second time I have devoted my blog to the discussion of the Secret Life, although I have exercised my thoughts through other outlets such as the Internet Movie Database discussion boards.
The last time I provided an synopsis of the show, the characters and the problems that they all face. Today I want to focus in on a situation that is a bit more particular that is important to even adults. The main character Amy is a 15 year old mother after one mistake at band camp with bad boy Ricky left her pregnant even before she started high school. Within the first few weeks of school Amy is asked out by Ben, who is desperately trying to get both a girlfriend and sex. When the cat is finally out of the bag, and everyone in town knows that Amy is pregnant and that Ricky is the father things begin to get interesting.
A slight divergence. The best education a child receives in its life is that education that parents can provide. Parents are instantly connected to their child and it is their responsibility to raise and educate their child from infancy to the age of reason when the child. Because of this, John Locke puts forth the notion that parents should not be permitted to divorce until all of their children have reached the age of reason and can properly care for themselves. In short, Locke asserts that the best parents for a child are it’s natural parents.
From the start Ben wants to inject himself into the decisions about what Amy will ultimately do with the child even after Amy has chosen to not get an abortion and allow Ricky to have say in what happens to their child. Ben’s position is particular one, because he is playing the part of a step parent. Ricky is the bad guy in Ben’s eyes, he has damaged his beloved Amy long before they had a chance to fall in love. It is the situation we all remember from high school; we become interested in another person and we ultimately find out something about that person. In Ben’s case he doesn’t blame Amy for anything that happened, just like everyone else at school and in town the blame ultimately falls on Ricky. Ben is constantly attempting to separate Ricky from him and Amy, even going so far as to pretend he has any say in the decision process over a child that isn’t even his.
At every junction, Amy blocks Ben’s attempts to interfere in a situation that only involves Ricky and her. Ben is obviously put off by this, claiming that Amy no longer loves him or any other excuse he can devise. When Amy’s baby son, John, is finally born Amy does does everything to keep Ben and also Adrian (Ricky’s sorta girlfriend) away from him. Though her attempts fail finally when Ben finds a way to babysit for Amy while she goes to visit the family of her dad’s ex wife. It is here that it becomes evident that Ben wants to appear to be a responsible, well intending step father for John. As soon as Amy is gone, Ashley (her younger sister) pops in to take care of her nephew for Ben. Ben, like so many before him, ends up showing he doesn’t care as much for his girlfriend’s child as much as he cares for his girlfriend. He puts on the act of making everyone think he truly cares for the child, and maybe on some level he does, but his love for the child is entirely connected to Amy. Just like any other step parent, the love of any children that the spouse may have is connected entirely to the spouse. No true love between parent and child is really ever capable, although it does happen. Remember those old fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm? All of the bad guys were typically step parents, usually of the motherly variety. That’s not to say that all step parents are bad, or that Ben will want to lure John into the woods and cook him for dinner.
However, what it does mean is that as soon as his feelings for Amy begin to fade away he wants really nothing more to do with John. Because of John, Amy and Ricky are drawn closer together because of the shared love over their child. Unlike many other situations, Amy and Ricky never hated each other they simply made a mistake and animosity developed between them over what that mistake has done to their lives. Their relationship, even if it never goes past being parents to their son, will always provide them with a deeper bond than will ever be present between them and their significant others until they have children together; even then it will only match the bond that they have with each other.A prime demonstration of this is with Amy’s parents, who are divorced at the beginning of season three. Prior to divorcing, George and Anne had sex and she got pregnant. She met another man and initially tried to play as though it was his kid, although always knowing it was George’s. When George finally admits it is most likely his child, Anne’s relationship with the other man unravels quickly; almost as though she was waiting for George to confess. It doesn’t mean that they are getting back together, instead Anne intends to continuing dating and find her “true love.” However, if Amy and Ricky are any demonstration, George and Anne will always be destined to be with each other. Further, because they are still very involved together in each others lives and the lives of their daughters, it will be impossible to find another person to fill the shoes of George for Anne. Like wise, it will be difficult for Amy or Ricky the longer they spend together raising their son together to find someone who else.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager, while a very childish show at times is ultimately highly enlightening and attempts to educate the audience. For younger views, young to mid teenagers, this show can hopefully demonstrate to them the struggles of what it means to be an adult, and mean to be a parent. For young adults and even parents who watch the show with their child(ren), the show reminds us of how life really is. Things aren’t just so cut and dry; just because don’t like people doesn’t mean we aren’t forced to live with them as Ricky and Ben learn. And just because we make mistakes and there are means of fixing those mistakes, doesn’t make them right or the most responsible thing we can do. Ultimately, when children are involved the best thing for us is almost never our own personal self interest, but instead the well being of the children.
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