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The explosion of technology in the areas of media, computers, and communication has generated such a rebirth of materialism in America as to defy one's imagination. I must have been really bored, but for some reason, I was recently flipping through the television channels, and I stopped on MTV's "My Super Sweet 16 Party Reunion." I could not believe what I was seeing. Over and over again, these soon-to-be-16-year-old girls were planning birthday parties that would rival anything Hollywood has ever produced. There were several key ingredients... 1) a big-name guest entertainer; 2) special clothing... usually more than one outfit; 3) an elaborate arrival for the honoree; and 4) selected party guests.

Most of the girls featured were from wealthy families, with parents who worked in industries such as entertainment, oil and gas, car sales, or real estate. Over and over the party planners would ask what the budget should be, only to be told, "Money is no object." One girl flew to New York with her parents and two girlfriends to spend a single day picking out a couple of dresses that cost $3000. Another delivered her invitations to friends in a horse-drawn carriage, and each individual invitation was frozen in a block of ice. Yet another landed at her party in her dad's helicopter and was escorted to a tent fashioned like a castle in a horse-drawn vintage "Cinderella" carriage. Still another had Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia, blocked for a parade in her honor, complete with marching bands, horses, dancers, and acrobats. Over and over the girls would say, "They are all looking at ME! It's all about ME!" And more than once, guests were told what to wear, who to bring as a date, and how to dance. One girl screened her girlfriends' dates, calling some on the phone to tell them their attendance was not necessary! Another rudely told "party crashers" to go home.

By the time I had seen this play out for three or four girls, I was thoroughly amazed and disgusted. What were these people thinking? Thousands of dollars were spent on these few hours of celebration by teenagers who should have been thrilled with a backyard cookout and some burgers and hotdogs! And almost every party culminated with a "gift" for the honoree... a Jaguar for one, a Lexus or Mercedes for another. Some had received diamond bracelets earlier in the day. One father suggested to his daughter... "If you get all of this now, what will you have to look forward to when you

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