Dance Moms, Toddlers and Tiaras, Jersey Shore, Beavis and Butthead. All of these shows set the example of how not to act. Television has become such a vital part of so many peoples’ lives. It is an accessible way of staying connected to the outside world. Well, some things are better left disconnected. Don’t get me wrong; I love a good dose of trashy TV once in a while, but the overexposure so many teens are receiving now is harmful.

Let’s start with Dance Moms. This reality show in addition to Toddlers and Tiaras are a form of child exploitation in my mind. Parents of the children on the shows are giving the message that it is okay to continue putting their children through things they do not like that can even potentially harm them. Sure, Abby Lee Miller has a cast of talented dancers, but it is only because they dance from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday with competitions each weekend. People all around the country are falling in love with these shows that change their minds and theories of how they should treat one another, which is dangerous to our future generations.

Now, to move on to Jersey Shore. People imitate the show, with their funny accents and whatnot, but the show is not a good example to follow. The premise of this MTV show is to follow the lives of a bunch of crazy, partying people. Parents should know better than to let their kids watch this group of people do the insane things they do. No offense to any die-hard Jersey Shore fans, but the show is an insult to the state of New Jersey and our culture.

Then of course, there is Beavis and Butthead. Quite frankly, this show scares me. Two animated (might I add grotesque) teenage boys who constantly skip school and have troubled minds is not exactly my definition of a quality TV show. The show has been recently revived for some unknown reasons and is the mother-load of all things bad.

Well, it’s not all bad with no good. Good shows are still out there, even if they may be harder to come by. Watch whatever you want, but still think about the future of our world and how we impact it. The shows we watch can really make a difference. Our parents never watched reality television. In fact, the lack of it made them turn out a-ok. You don’t have to agree with me, but lots of people would, that the number of quality shows are steadily decreasing.

~Anna Gleason