by NATALIA HAWK
Dear 16 year old Me,
Take a look at this video – just released by the 16 year old Aussie X-Factor runner-up, Christina Parie.
And know this: Christina Parie is not cool.
You might think it’s cool at first. Christina is fond of eyeliner (just like you) and is rocking a pair of pink pants that you dig (but wouldn’t ever be brave enough to pull off). The song is kinda catchy and she seems to be having a great time, mucking around with her friends in her room at the beginning of the clip.
But stay tuned, because it goes downhill rapidly from there. After blowing off her parents, Christina and her friends trash an ice cream parlour, attack a girl walking along the street, throw water balloons at pedestrians, graffiti some buildings and finish off the afternoon by stealing some poor old man’s wallet.
It’s stealing, vandalism AND harassment. All of which – last time I checked – is illegal. But it’s okay because they are UNSTOPPABLE REBELS and this is how to have FUN. Right??? Wrong.
I’m sorry. I am not going spend this letter lecturing you on morals and how you SHOULDN’T EVER STEAL because then you can’t be a lawyer OR EVEN VISIT AMERICA (because – fun fact – a criminal record means you can’t get a visa!).
But I want you to listen carefully because I know what the next few years will hold.
You’re going to see more music videos and movies that will make you feel like this is how teenagers are supposed to act.
You will be bombarded with images that scream, “Look! This is cool and this is what you should be like!”