Livin' on the Edge: Creative or Dangerous?

The idea of edgy media can be anything from a sitcom that pushes the moral envelope, to newspapers that cover explicit and uncomfortable stories.  These sorts of media are primarily consumed by a younger and seemingly more liberal demographic, which is often labeled as the hipster demographic.  But this label is commonly used to describe anyone who consumes media that has not yet saturated the social scene.  Edgy media is not something to be afraid of, it is simply media that challenges societal norms.  This is understandably uncomfortable for some people, but it is often the goal of artists to push the boundaries of what society is willing to consume. 

In the post-Fordist media realm in which we exist, smaller productions of media are made possible, which allows the creativity of a single individual to reach the masses.  This uninhibited production of media allows texts to reach a global audience without running through the filters of massive production companies.  Apparently, some will argue that this next step in media production will further divide society, but I view it as just the opposite.  If all of a society has only two media vendors, there is a major rift between those two demographics, much like the political sphere.  But if everyone is now able to put forward there views and ideas on a more level playing field, more media is out there to separate the public, which will most likely lead to a social revelation.  This can only lead to more open minds out there consuming media.  In doing so, the loyalties that certain groups hold to certain media producers will be challenged and dissolved.

This process will unite society via the mass division of grouping qualities.  So as not to label someone under one big demographic, the multitude of media will prevent someone from sticking to one social identity. 

The FX show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a prime example of a certain type of edgy media.  This show is edgy because it opened the door for independent writers and actors to push the envelope of what was acceptable TV behavior.  In doing so, a great number of similar shows popped up that demonstrated a familiar rudeness and crudeness, which Sunny fans have come to know and love.