EDUCATION VS. EDUCATION

VS.

Graduate seminars are composed of two essential moments. Either I think to myself, "OK that sounds vaguely familiar." This is usually followed by pensive eye contact with the professor, or "I have no idea what he/she is talking about." Usually followed by thumbing through pages of my book.

But it's OK! There is the understanding that I am a fledgling pupil and this encyclopedia (that happens to have a circulatory system) currently lecturing me has many years of experience and that THAT is my future. (Pause for a twinkle in my eye and I gaze out the window and look out on...old ladies in lawn chairs outside their condos.) Of course the professor is well versed on pop culture from 40 years ago, she probably remembers living through it.

And here is where I turn to the great tragedy of my education. I FAIL POP CULTURE. The evidence is below...I can't answer any of these.

1. Name more than one Kardashian and talk about why they are famous.
2. Name three celebrity babies.
3. What is a Bieber?
4. What is the Reunion?
5. Have you ever watched the Jersey shore?

I am an island.

OK secondary education begins today: I have to learn everything about pop culture I possibly can. (Yes that is ambitious) Both middle brow How can you break something that is bad? and low brow But then...what is a fake housewife?

Assignment #1 Read headlines. I don't know where to begin. I think that Perez Hilton is too advanced. MJ suggested Huffington Post, but I think he was making fun of them. Then again:

Assignment #2 Watch the Daily Show and the Colbert Report because it forms the common bond between all of humanity.

Assignment #3 Watch at least clips from these reality TV shows. Then perhaps graduate on to Gossip Girl.

Assignment #4 What are the kids listening to? Extra credit for cool indie side projects.

Assignment #5 Watch crap on YouTube. (Don't even watch this clip, it is so unbelievably stupid.)



Goals:
1.To start a sentence with "Oh my god, did you see..."
2. Answer with , "Yes! I did."
3. Make friends with people my age, so I don't have to sing along to Sinatra with the ladies in lawn chairs outside the condo and talk about the scandalous Evelyn Nesbit.



Tonight, I explore a new place for me: Hulu. Where will it take me? We'll find out.