Every February, families and friends alike gather around their TVs with snacks and games to watch the sporting event of the year – a football game called the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched television events in the world, but its popularity cannot solely be attributed to the game itself, but the cultural phenomenon that the Super Bowl has become.

The sheer popularity of the Super Bowl has made it a lucrative battleground for advertising companies to shine and leave an impression on the general American populous.

The main attraction for non-sports fans are the goofy commercials and the musical halftime performances, which are basically huge televised concerts.

Musicians Shakira and Jenifer Lopez, collaborated on the 2020 halftime show to very mixed reactions.

Some people were amazed at the interesting and distinct choreography, camera work, costume changes and general presentation, while others were shocked and appalled at the display.

The FCC received many complaints about the halftime show being “inappropriate for children,” and “not American” as some of the song lyrics were in Spanish and the general theme of the performance was a celebration of Latin American culture.

Parents who came out and complained about the show, shed a light on the parenting styles of the 21st century. It is much too common for parents to sit their kids in front of electronics and allow the internet to entertain their children, carelessly assuming that the world holds the same parenting values as they do.

This mindset is exemplified by the parents’ complaints about the show. Instead of being a diligent parent and controlling their child’s access to media, they immediately discard all responsibility and act as if they are victims.

A conversation could be had about the content allowed on national television, but long before that conversation, there should be one about parental responsibilities.