What in the world has happened to the speech of today?s youth? Since when is it proper to speak in a series of fragmented sentences and words not found in any dictionary?

Walking around a college campus, one would expect to hear conversations indicating some resemblance of an education. Instead, all that is heard are failed attempts in communicating. I don?t expect today?s student to sit around and wax philosophic about the trials and tribulations of third-world countries, but they should at least try to sound like they have an inkling of the English language. I submit to you a mock example of the worst conversations that occur in the University Union:

First student: “And then I was like, duuude, and she was all, like ,whatever, and then I was, like, whatever, dude.”

Second student: “Exactly man.”

What just happened?

Circles of friends have their own languages, and they often communicate on a different level than the public, but for crying out loud, SPEAK ENGLISH.

Full and total blame for this lack of proper communication can be placed on the fashionably clothed shoulders of Hollywood and MTV.

With the obvious surplus of film in Hollywood storerooms being used to produce anti-intellectual fluff, we are subjected to films that insult our intelligence and then proceed to savagely beat us over the head until we are left stupid and wanting more. Take for example, the cinematic brute, “Dude, Where?s My Car?” Aside from the painful acting, labored script, lack of story and poor attempt to capture the youth market, this film is inspired ? an inspired hunk of flaming garbage.

I didn?t expect much when I saw this movie, but I didn?t anticipate the overwhelming urge to vomit at the thought that so many people were willing to pay $8.75 to get a frontal lobotomy.

Young, impressionable minds look to this sort of film for advice and guidance for the way they are supposed to act and speak.

The other culprit is MTV, a 20-year-old source of pop-culture. Growing up in a world where MTV dictates the norms of society, college students are accustomed to this network telling us what to think.

Pop idols saturate the screen, donning the latest in fashion and telling the world how great they are. There is nothing more infuriating than watching a millionaire teenager try to form a coherent sentence. Sure, they have a wonderful voice and wear the latest styles, but can they communicate interpersonally? Usually they cannot.

I recently had the displeasure of viewing a well-known artist being interviewed. In a laborious attempt to extract a statement about the artist?s upcoming album the interviewer asked, “So, how do you think your new album will sell?” The artist then glibly replied, “Yeah, well ya see, it will sell a lot ?cuz it?s good.”

Astounding. Here is an icon of an industry responsible for molding youth, and he is a moron.

Hollywood and MTV will continue to distribute mindless junk, and kids will continue to speak poorly, but I hope that the youth of today will heed the advice of their parents. “Don?t watch too much television. That stuff will rot your mind.”

Andy Fegley is an english major. He can be reached at [email protected].