Kids is a largely realistic portrayal of life for a certain strata of New York youth society. The one major departure from reality is the depiction of this subculture as racially mixed. This is inaccurate; although such behaviour can be observed separately in all racial groups, such groups are strictly delineated along racial lines.
This depiction is in itself an interesting (and unintended) comment on the subculture of the media classes. Their taboos and mores require that they show harmonious racial integration even in a film which focuses on one of the lowest underclass subcultures in contemporary American society.
Kids was made in 1995, and cast a light on a cultural phenomenon that affects an even greater number of people across the Western world today. The film is even more relevant now than it was in 1995.
Many people, existing within mainstream societal culture, find it difficult to believe that such subcultures exist. The values (or what they perceive as an absence of values) held by the characters in the movie differ so greatly from the assumed norm that many will believe such lifestyles to be no more than a dark fantasy. This is a mistake. Such subcultures do indeed exist.
Across Western society, over the last four decades there has been a steady progression away from what are currently termed `traditional' values towards the values seen in Kids. This trend is merely more advanced amongst the underclass than in society as a whole. In truth, the logical and inevitable result of social liberalism is that all society must adopt the behavioural patterns exhibited in Kids.
The extent to which mainstream Western society has already come to resemble the Kids culture is not widely appreciated within Western populations. The reality is that in many places in America (and elsewhere) the recreational activities of heavy drinking, drug use, and promiscuous sex have become the norm amongst the young. (In this context `young' no longer refers to those aged 18 to 25, but rather to those aged 12 to 16. Moreover, such behaviour is increasingly to be seen in even younger age groups.)
The surprise encountered amongst those from older generations (`older generation' includes many people no older than 24 and often younger) when exposed to the realities of the sex, drink and drugs culture amongst the young is interesting. These people exist in a general societal environment which encourages the very attitudes and actions exemplified in Kids, yet they are unable to appreciate the inevitable effects of this culture on the behaviour of the young.
The depiction of drug use as normal is prevalent in the media. Likewise, promiscuous sex, and deviant or perverted sex is depicted as normal and even desirable. These ideas are not only included in dramas, but also openly advanced both in broadcast discussions and in the printed media. The idea that morality might have any relevance to sex or drug use has no representation in films, television or novels. This promotional wave of social liberalism has an inevitable impact. Over the years and decades, it alters attitudes across society. We thus witness an inversion of morality.
This inversion of the moral values that were generally unquestioned in Western societies prior to the 1960's must inevitably result in the behaviour depicted in Kids. The disbelief of those who are shocked at this idea is irrational. In many cases, their own live resemble to a greater or lesser degree those of the characters of this movie. Yet they fail to understand how the young could engage in such behaviour. The reality is that the young wish to be adult, to partake of the fruits of maturity. When those fruits are principally represented as promiscuous sex, drugs and drink throughout the media, and these activities are seen to be increasingly central to the lives of those who are older than themselves, the young will inevitably adopt the pursuit of these activities as a major objective in their lives.
Those who view the behaviour shown in Kids as aberrant and atypical are simply unaware of the degree to which behaviour amongst the young in the general population has come to resemble the behaviour of the characters in Kids. For example, recent research published in the respected New England Journal of Medicine shows that one in five Americans aged 12 and over now tests positive for herpes, eight thousand American teenagers a day contract a sexually transmitted disease, and 25% of sexually active American teens have an STD.
These figures, and many others, refute those critics who believe Kids to be unrealistic.
What we are witnessing and living through is merely a stage in the ongoing evolution of social behaviour. It is not a unique occurrence; it is a part of a recurrent cycle. The last period of sexual permissiveness in Western society preceded the Victorian era a time in which rather different values were adopted. The current era will similarly give birth to a very different culture. We exist during an interim period which marks the end of what was, and the beginning of what will be.
Kids is one small part of the process of cultural evolution. In itself it does nothing to alter the cycle, but in its realistic depiction of a section of our current culture it becomes a part of the process by which the cycle changes. The film thus has a value beyond the illustration of life as it exists for a certain section of contemporary society.
Very few people will actively enjoy this movie. Those who are unaware of this kind of lifestyle will find it utterly distasteful, whilst those who follow the same (or similar) behavioural patterns will not wish to be reminded of the threat of disease that permeates their existence.
Still, everyone should consider watching Kids. It won't be fun, but it will be informative and it will make you think.
Rating - 6/10
This depiction is in itself an interesting (and unintended) comment on the subculture of the media classes. Their taboos and mores require that they show harmonious racial integration even in a film which focuses on one of the lowest underclass subcultures in contemporary American society.
Kids was made in 1995, and cast a light on a cultural phenomenon that affects an even greater number of people across the Western world today. The film is even more relevant now than it was in 1995.
Many people, existing within mainstream societal culture, find it difficult to believe that such subcultures exist. The values (or what they perceive as an absence of values) held by the characters in the movie differ so greatly from the assumed norm that many will believe such lifestyles to be no more than a dark fantasy. This is a mistake. Such subcultures do indeed exist.
Across Western society, over the last four decades there has been a steady progression away from what are currently termed `traditional' values towards the values seen in Kids. This trend is merely more advanced amongst the underclass than in society as a whole. In truth, the logical and inevitable result of social liberalism is that all society must adopt the behavioural patterns exhibited in Kids.
The extent to which mainstream Western society has already come to resemble the Kids culture is not widely appreciated within Western populations. The reality is that in many places in America (and elsewhere) the recreational activities of heavy drinking, drug use, and promiscuous sex have become the norm amongst the young. (In this context `young' no longer refers to those aged 18 to 25, but rather to those aged 12 to 16. Moreover, such behaviour is increasingly to be seen in even younger age groups.)
The surprise encountered amongst those from older generations (`older generation' includes many people no older than 24 and often younger) when exposed to the realities of the sex, drink and drugs culture amongst the young is interesting. These people exist in a general societal environment which encourages the very attitudes and actions exemplified in Kids, yet they are unable to appreciate the inevitable effects of this culture on the behaviour of the young.
The depiction of drug use as normal is prevalent in the media. Likewise, promiscuous sex, and deviant or perverted sex is depicted as normal and even desirable. These ideas are not only included in dramas, but also openly advanced both in broadcast discussions and in the printed media. The idea that morality might have any relevance to sex or drug use has no representation in films, television or novels. This promotional wave of social liberalism has an inevitable impact. Over the years and decades, it alters attitudes across society. We thus witness an inversion of morality.
This inversion of the moral values that were generally unquestioned in Western societies prior to the 1960's must inevitably result in the behaviour depicted in Kids. The disbelief of those who are shocked at this idea is irrational. In many cases, their own live resemble to a greater or lesser degree those of the characters of this movie. Yet they fail to understand how the young could engage in such behaviour. The reality is that the young wish to be adult, to partake of the fruits of maturity. When those fruits are principally represented as promiscuous sex, drugs and drink throughout the media, and these activities are seen to be increasingly central to the lives of those who are older than themselves, the young will inevitably adopt the pursuit of these activities as a major objective in their lives.
Those who view the behaviour shown in Kids as aberrant and atypical are simply unaware of the degree to which behaviour amongst the young in the general population has come to resemble the behaviour of the characters in Kids. For example, recent research published in the respected New England Journal of Medicine shows that one in five Americans aged 12 and over now tests positive for herpes, eight thousand American teenagers a day contract a sexually transmitted disease, and 25% of sexually active American teens have an STD.
These figures, and many others, refute those critics who believe Kids to be unrealistic.
What we are witnessing and living through is merely a stage in the ongoing evolution of social behaviour. It is not a unique occurrence; it is a part of a recurrent cycle. The last period of sexual permissiveness in Western society preceded the Victorian era a time in which rather different values were adopted. The current era will similarly give birth to a very different culture. We exist during an interim period which marks the end of what was, and the beginning of what will be.
Kids is one small part of the process of cultural evolution. In itself it does nothing to alter the cycle, but in its realistic depiction of a section of our current culture it becomes a part of the process by which the cycle changes. The film thus has a value beyond the illustration of life as it exists for a certain section of contemporary society.
Very few people will actively enjoy this movie. Those who are unaware of this kind of lifestyle will find it utterly distasteful, whilst those who follow the same (or similar) behavioural patterns will not wish to be reminded of the threat of disease that permeates their existence.
Still, everyone should consider watching Kids. It won't be fun, but it will be informative and it will make you think.
Rating - 6/10