Kick the Habit.

Is the problem the media, or is it the social media?

If you know me, you know that I am an advocate of social media... to an extreme which some may find irritating.

Twitter works best for my business, Blogger works best for my banter, and Facebook combines my personal life with all of the above. On a different screen, I watch South Park and Family Guy. I’ve listened to music like Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails and the like that have been blamed for tragic incidents of slaughter and violence in the United States.

However, I haven't kicked or killed anyone! I am in my twenties, in college, am an aspiring entrepreneur, I volunteer and am active in my community. So what am I doing wrong?

In my original post about Facebook back in March, 2009, I put up my middle finger to Mark Zuckerburg for changing the format of Facebook as a way to become more user-unfriendly. This was on behalf of the Baby Boomers that had entered the world of Facebook. They were as confused as William Blake's infant coming out of the womb. However, I admit that the Baby Boomers, or at least the ones I am "friends" with, have managed to contribute to the productivity of the social media world. Let's face it, we are a product of the people we popped out of. Our elders do have insightful things to teach us. It has been a nice, interesting change to read posts about older musicians rather than Lady Gaga and her bloody way to fame.

In my last post, with all of the changes Facebook has implemented in the past five years, I quietly mentioned that the system incorporated High School kids into the mix. At the time, I cringed at the thought. Why can't Facebook remain exclusive to college kids? It made so much sense. I could avoid the awkward moment of meeting my roommate for the first time and deciding which side of the room to covet – I could contact that guy from my math class for homework. The torture of the social world in high school was brutal enough. Thank you, Mark Zuckerburg, for relieving me, slightly, of my social anxiety. With so many group projects assigned in college classes, Facebook became another branch to integrate college kids from all around the world to the same, what we now call "network."

High school. Wake up. Get into your car (that is registered in Daddy's name). Drive to school. Secretly sneak off of campus to smoke a cigarette. Go to class. Pass notes. Talk shit about that girl during lunch. Leave trash on the table for somebody else to pick up. Drive home. Complain about dinner that mom made for you. Whine when Dad says you can't go out. Minimally attempt to do your homework and talk on the phone for an hour and a half with your BFF about nothing. My apologies if I missed the occasional soccer practice.

With such productivity, it is clear as day how children contribute to Facebook. Pardon my cynicism; I will get to the point. What do you think of when you hear "Kick a Ginger?" In 2005, South Park came out with "Ginger Kids," episode #911 (ooh, symbolism!) from season 9. Yea, go YouTube it - or see a personal commentary by a red-head dude and the South Park Clip here.

America, home of the free, now enables children to create official days of celebration - or dismay. According to Facebook groups and events, this past Friday, November 20^th was the official "Kick a Ginger Day." On Friday, children with red hair, pale skin and freckles were beat up. Why? Well, because of South Park of course! This has nothing to do with freewill. It’s TV I tell you!

I watched the clip. It's funny. The red-head jokes are funny. Shall I analyze the two minute clip of absurdity? But first, let’s ignore "Token," the black kid that opens the scene with his solar system project. Also, pay no mind to Mr. Garrison, who is now Mrs. Garrison and focus on Cartman, who presents his project on "Gingers." Also, please ignore Kyle, the Jew, who speaks up for kids with red hair. This episode is funny in the way South Park is intended to be funny. It is a satirical social commentary on what our society has sadly evolved into. It states the obvious and the truth, and most importantly, its intention of providing a moral stance on each story is executed successfully. I also recall that the show is rated for a "mature audience."

Is your kid mature? Creativity is not taking television and interpreting it into an official day of violence. WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE PARENTS?!

The article linked above has to do with somebody I know. His child is the mentioned victim of “Kick a Ginger Day.” How did I find this out? He is one of the Baby Boomers that I am “friends" with on Facebook. Ironic, isn't it, that the kind of information he must relay on Facebook is that of the repulsive behavior his child was subjected to by other children? Most importantly, his news is spread through the very same device that caused this horrific event.

I'm sorry, Mark Zuckerburg, I didn't realize that Facebook was intended to be a form of family therapy that brings parents and their children closer together. Closer together as in discussing acts of violence caused by the misuse of the same program. Why are children on Facebook? What value are they creating?

Dear Parents of young misfits & Mark Zuckerburg,

Get children off of Facebook. Get them off of the Internet.

Give them a goddamn book.

I recommend the following authors: Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Daisaku Ikeda