Moral Panic? - Bully And Skins

Bully Videogame - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCXbs9ao7sM
Skins Opening - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJbv1dqdX3Y&feature=related

The teenagers in the video game for Bully are a negative representation. The first teenage boy we see is objectified as being a child of misbehaviour and disobedience, this shown by the way he is dressed as he has with his shirt tucked out, his tie loosely hung around his neck, his shaven head and the way he talks and openly gestures. The use of a long shot as we watch him sliding down a hand rail immediately gives the sense of insolence and disrespect; this shows his character to be off-putting which therefore creates a stereotypical view upon all teenagers to act the same. The medium shots of the “bully” harassing a teacher and school kids emphasise towards the audience teenage boys are all troublesome. While children play this game they can be injected with the same ideologies of misbehaviour and disrespect and begin to believe this behaviour is suitable. Some teenagers may copy attitudes from the “Bully” and bring them to their own lives, such as sneaking around and creating fires in the classroom. Girls are also represented negatively in this game trailer as we see a young girl who is laid back whilst talking about “dirty pictures” and connoting sex references. This gives the idea that sex is fine and accepted. Teenagers are represented as creating havoc and trouble.

Similarly, in the opening for “Skins”, teenagers are seen as disobedient and mischievous. The quick montage shots show the teenagers smoking drugs, homosexual themes and a general laid back attitude. This immediately emphasises moral panics for adults as they believe all teenagers are influenced by what they see on the television and can adopt bad behaviour, also creating a negative view on society’s issues. This can highlight the theory by Stanley Cohen who speaks of when a society sees itself threatened by the values and activities of a group, in this case teenagers. On the other hand, producers of Skins may be creating such programmes to educate kids on the dangers and real life situations children face now a days.

The representation of teenagers in both texts may cause moral panics as adults may feel that teenagers are troublesome and can be injected with ideologies that drugs, causing havoc and sex are all acceptable in today’s society.