why gg is much more than just hot teenagers making out and plotting against each other

I adore Gossip Girl.

Although I usually can't relate to the lifestyles of the privileged, teenaged, Upper East Siders, nor to the drama that unfolds within them, I get a great deal of pleasure out of watching the show. I usually curl up next to my laptop with a sliced apple and some melted peanut butter (for dipping) and enjoy the 40 minutes of fictional drama.

I particularly loved last night's episode, titled Pret-a-Poor-J. One of the plot lines followed 15-year-old Jenny Humphrey as she began to shmooze with models, creepy Cobrasnake-esque photographers, Cory Kennedy look-alikes, and the Nylon extended social circle. Without giving away too much of the plot, I found it really interesting how the show reflected the way our photo-obsessed generation is gradually beginning to function.

The best advertisement—be it for fashion or just the self-promotion of one's party persona—is being visible, whether it be in attendance of parties, or mediated through social networking arenas or the site of one party photographer or another.

Despite being guilty of chronically photographing others, I still believe that there should be limits to how many photos are taken, and in what context. Most importantly, they should be taken with the permission of the subject or, you know, of her parents if she's underage and topless. I think the issues that were raised in yesterday's episode were very relevant for a large part of its viewership: girls in their teens, surrounded by cameras as they are.

I appreciate Gossip Girl's efforts to stay current, and to incorporate witty pop culture references, new and emerging uses of technology, and aspects of contemporary youth culture that are unique to right now. In this way, it's as much a period piece about aspects of our generation as Mad Men is of the advertising world in the '60s . And it's really just fun to watch.