As a seasoned observer of human behavior and a connoisseur of storytelling, I found myself captivated by the raw, unfiltered narrative that unfolds in the series, “Social Studies.” Being born in the era of typewriters and rotary phones, I must admit, I sometimes find myself baffled by the complexities of today’s digital landscape.
In the latest Netflix series titled “Penelope“, a teenager decides to abandon her previous life and live self-sufficiently within a national forest. Although her reasons aren’t explicitly detailed throughout most of the show, it seems she struggles to fit into contemporary society. Her act of relinquishing her phone is portrayed as a liberating step that benefits her mental wellbeing.
To understand why a 16-year-old might choose a wilderness without internet connectivity over modern life, take a look at the latest five-episode documentary series by FX, titled “Social Studies“, directed by Lauren Greenfield.
The show “Social Studies” is likely to debut during autumn due to its chilling portrayal of a 21st century teenager’s tech-dependent life, which is more terrifying than the usual slate of serial killers and assorted monsters seen on TV in October. This series aims to shock, astonish, and occasionally touch the hearts of its viewers.
It functions perfectly! You’ll soon discover yourself investing swiftly and emotionally in Greenfield’s collection of realistic characters who straddle the line between childhood and adulthood. There will be moments of laughter and occasional tears. On occasion, the documentary seems to suggest that this generation may be better adapted to navigate our overly connected, boastful, and somewhat intrusive society than those who initially created it.
Although Social Studies can be quite impactful, it’s often disorganized. Greenfield embarks on a challenging yet confined endeavor, but finds herself grappling with maintaining focus, thematic coherence, and adhering to her own guidelines. The rambling outcome seems to thrive mainly due to the very flaw it criticizes: the lack of understanding among these teenagers regarding what is “public” and what is “private,” regardless of potential repercussions.
Is Greenfield capitalizing on the personal struggles of her subjects, or are they using her platform for their own gain? And come 2024, will there be a significant difference between these two scenarios, potentially causing unease? Brace yourself for some turbulent waters.
The underlying concept of the series lies in chronicling a diverse group of students from various economic and racial backgrounds who primarily attended Palisades Charter School during the 2021-22 academic year. Notably, these students were the first to experience social media throughout their entire lives. Additionally, it’s crucial to note that these young individuals had spent more than a year confined by COVID-19 lockdowns prior to this period. As a result, social media became the sole means of interaction for them since traditional social interactions were significantly limited from March 2020 until the end of summer 2021.
One young woman points out that unlike virtual meetings, in real life, you can’t mute yourself or turn off your camera. She emphasizes the necessity of attending school and being visible to everyone present.
Greenfield’s primary motivation was convincing her subjects to grant permission for “video recording,” thereby providing us with access to their video chats, messages, and even their regular internet browsing activities. She intentionally overloads the screen with an abundance of visual data, mirroring the cluttered and disordered mental landscape typical of a teenage mind.
Outside the confines of the screens, the team had a certain degree of interaction with the children at school and a greater insight into their lives beyond that environment. If these youngsters have any inhibitions about performing certain actions in front of a camera, it’s hard to detect such reticence here. A disclaimer precedes each chapter stating that the show features minors engaging in activities that are illegal and potentially dangerous. Mostly, this involves drug usage, but the subjects are very open when discussing their sexual encounters and numerous other details that might be questionable or even illegal.
Throughout the initial episode, Greenfield brings up that there’s a therapist readily available if anything triggers the kids, but we never hear about them again. Instead, it seems these young minds feel more at ease sharing their deepest struggles, the skeletons in their closets yet to be unearthed, with one another during structured chats. These heartfelt dialogues span topics from the unsettling sensation of ‘going viral’ to the stealthy advance of cyberbullying and the relentless presence of, let’s face it, manipulative individuals. These intimate exchanges offer some of the most powerful scenes in this series. They starkly highlight the contrast between the isolating nature of virtual connections and the healing power that genuine human encounters can provide.
During the five-hour span, we don’t have insight into the casting procedure, but we become acquainted with at least a dozen students. Among them is Jonathan, an ambitious documentarian who seems to tackle more than necessary of Greenfield’s assignments by interviewing her classmates. By the fifth episode, he even tries to articulate the thesis for his own film so that Greenfield won’t have to.
There’s Keshawn, an aspiring DJ who has just become a father. There’s Jack, an aspiring party planner and brand mastermind; his wild birthday bash features some of the most harrowing footage in the series and instigates the first of several references to HBO’s Euphoria, another “the kids aren’t alright” touchstone that I’ve always felt was made primarily to terrify parents rather than to entertain the demographic featured onscreen. There’s Ellie, who had a wave of social media notoriety as the tween girlfriend of a tween movie star and is in the process of moving from one possibly toxic relationship to another. There are victims of sexual assault, and one former student who has turned himself into an online vigilante outing perpetrators.
As a young individual immersed in today’s digital era, I find myself surrounded by a diverse group of peers, each with unique family dynamics. Some are fortunate to have parents who actively try to grasp our generation’s engagement style, striving to understand the intricacies of modern communication. However, there are others whose parents seem stuck in their ways, viewing us as if we were still children. Then there’s one classmate whose mother leans heavily towards ultra-conservative beliefs, a perspective I suspect is shaped by a separate bubble within the social media universe.
As you observe, some individuals may seem to arrive initially but later disappear completely, or they might be seen in the backdrop without being identified until several episodes later. This is often a common occurrence in documentaries such as this one – not every subject will turn out to be as impactful or have a particularly eventful senior year.
Additionally, this development can be seen as a deviation from the original intent of Greenfield’s work. Initially focusing on a lively high school group, the narrative broadens to incorporate Sydney, a college student grappling with past online misrepresentations, and Nina, the 20-something trans sister of one of the participants who unexpectedly takes center stage at times. While it could be tolerated if these new narratives only served to enrich unexplored aspects of the story, the prolonged focus on Ellie’s romantic life, which stems from her brief association with an actor from “It”, seems disproportionate. Even if this were merely a nod to intriguing subplots not previously explored, the extended attention given to this aspect feels excessive.
The show attempts to establish recurring themes across its episodes. At times, it appears to be ticking off items from a list of pertinent issues regarding topics like depression and eating disorders in children, while simultaneously highlighting how such resources can also facilitate anonymity, leading to rumors and harmful speculation.
There’s an abundance of details in this story that make it no surprise Greenfield (alongside her stand-in from high school, Jonathan) struggles to reach a conclusion. Eventually, she decides on prom and college acceptances, seemingly skipping over many spring days without providing any explanation. The final chapters seem disjointed enough to suggest that the book was initially planned as an eight- or ten-episode series but was abruptly cut down to five. Regardless of whether you find it revolting, endearing, enlightening, or longing for a social media-free life in the wilderness, Social Studies will linger in your thoughts.
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2024-09-26 16:55