Material Kids

My children's literature instructor this spring recommended two books about materialism for young adults: Feed by M.T. Anderson and The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian. Both of these books would make wonderful book group type reading material for YA groups. There is just oodles to talk about.

The Gospel According to Larry is about a teenager who takes on an Internet alter-ego as Larry and in that guise, pontificates about how advertising manipulates people into believing that their wants are truly needs. Larry's message and the website suddenly become very popular with some unforeseen consequences for its creator. Even the the book is a little out-of-date (Larry wouldn't have just a website now, he would be on Facebook, writing a blog and podcasting), its message is still very relevant, what defines us as people? who we are or what we own?

Feed takes this idea and jettisons it into the future. The characters in this book can message one another by just thinking, they can access the same movies or music in their heads, they are bombarded by advertising. They are entities whose government is only interested in them for what they buy (does that sound at all familiar? Remember what George Bush wants you to do with that economic stimulus check...don't pay down your debt, don't save it. Be a good American, and SPEND it for the good of the economy!) Again, these people are so interested in what they have over who they are that they don't seem to notice that they are developing leprosy-like symptoms, and the main character Titus can't cope with a girlfriend who wanted to be something more than today's acquisition.

Feed will require a little more thinking from students whereas The Gospel According to Larry is a little more straightforward and while not overtly preachy, it does hover near the edge. They would be excellent companion reads for comparison and contrast.

While I am on the topic of materialism, I just need to mention a revolting article from the May 10, 2008 front page of the Wall Street Journal that describes a growing trend for parents to dress their children as they see celebrities are dressing their children. Apparently, a whole blog exists to promote this mimicry! Yikes. Can't the bloggers find something else to do? And what parent has the time to read a blog on how to dress their baby fashionably?

Using the two books described above, ask teens what Larry and Titus would think of this growing trend.