The rich are getting... stupider.

So I spent most of today cleaning my apartment, washing clothes and getting ready for my trip. As I was running around I had the TV on for some background noise. One of the programs on TV caught my attention and waylaid me for a full hour as I sat on my couch wondering what this country is coming to.

The name of the show is Party Party, and it features two families from different parts of the country and how they go about planning and executing similar types of parties. They have shown weddings, anniversaries, graduations... that kind of thing. Well this one was sweet 16 parties, and I nearly lost my mind.

In case you are not from the US, in a lot of regions here families celebrate the 16th birthday of their daughters with special parties. I never had one per se because my parents don't go in for that kind of thing (they did take me out for a rather nice dinner), but some of my friends had parties with all their friends. Mind you, I came from an affluent suburb of Boston where very few people were hurting financially. Moreover, some of my classmates' families had $2 more than God, and nobody had what I am about to describe.

So one family from the show was in CA. The daughter Samantha can only be described as an overprivildged, spoiled, obnoxious shit. She needed a solid smack in the head. Her mother needed a massive whack, because she was the one feeding this little monster's warped views.

For Samantha's 16th birthday party her parents spent well over 35,000 dollars. They rented a hall in a hotel, had it catered, and brought in entertainment. But it doesn't stop there. They got her a 3,000 dollar a night room at the hotel, 5 dresses to choose from for the party, and had her and her close friend picked up in a Rolls-Royce and taken for a day of pampering at the spa.

And what is Samantha's reaction? Well, first of all, she gathers her highschool cheerleading squad and passes out invitiations to her party... conspicuously leaving out a few of the girls. What a nasty little bitch. Then she has a meltdown because he parents do not buy her a brand new BMW, and only give her theirs as a gift. She also had a fit about a host of other things, obviously unable to show any sort of gratitude. Let me just say right here that if I had EVER spoken to my mother the way this child did, my life would have been over. OVER. And no one would have found my body, either.

Meanwhile what were her parents thinking? First off the mom was having a crisis of her own, topped off by her showing up to the party in one of Samantha's dresses (all of which were made for a 20 year old... NOT NOT NOT a 16 year old OR a 45 year old). But the weirdest thing was that she was surprised by her daughter's ungrateful nature.

Uh, HELLO you asinine cow... you spoilt your child beyond any imaginable means, and then you wonder why she acts like Kelly Osbourne in princess get-up? What child... no, wait... what ANYONE needs a friggin $35K birthday party? OK forget need... why? Why would anyone spend that kind of money.... ugh....

I am done thinking about it. Thank God my parents raised me correctly. I got exactly what I needed (as opposed to what I wanted) with a few surprises thrown in. Nothing extravagant. But that's alright. I do not think that is how parents should show their children love.