Teens are believed to be the founders of the word "cool." The film, The Merchants of Cool, focuses on how teenagers run the economy. Two main theories can prove this statement. These theories would include conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Conflict theory plays an important role in this statement. Conflict theory focuses on the ruling class that sets the rules of society. For example, social position, gender, and race play an important role in this theory. However, in this film, age also plays a role in the ruling class of conflict theory. In the film, we know that the world is “made of marketing” and that teenagers are the center of their marketing. About 75% of kids have a television in their room and 3,000 commercials are broadcast every day. This presents a huge opportunity for advertisers to market to teenagers. So, if teens are exposed to these ads, what are the chances that they will live up to the ad's expectations and spend money on their product? The chances are actually very high, only if advertisers know how to make the sale secretly. Teenagers are known to be the people who define "cool." And to be cool, the number one rule is to not let your marketing shine through. Since teenagers technically set the trend in society, advertisers willingly follow this trend to get what they want. Money sometimes distinguishes what adults want from what teenagers want. Adults believe there is no reason to spend money on what they want for themselves; however, for their children, parents are willing to give them what they want, no matter what the cost. This is why adolescents are believed to be the center of society's economy. Being cool is what teenagers strive to be, and that's the goal advertisers want to build on that. Symbolic interactionism also plays an important role through this theory that adolescents control the economy of society. Adolescents learn their identity by seeing it through television. There's a certain cycle that media and teenagers go through. The part of symbolic interactionism theory in which adolescents see their own identity is the mirror theory. In this part of the theory, the media is the mirror. As teenagers follow their routines and interests, the media watches them closely and picks up on these routines and interests. The media manipulates this frame and glorifies it to extreme levels. So, teenagers see that and want to be them. Teenagers want to see themselves through the media. While teenagers try to adapt to this new trend they have set for themselves, other teenagers follow a new trend. The media reflects on this and it becomes a cycle. Throughout the film, the media takes common characteristics and explicitly displays them as a framework. This frame for men is known as a “mook”. "Mooks" are known for being obnoxious, brash, and insanely rude. Not all men are "mooks", but the media wants to influence teenagers to be inspired to find a new character for the "mooks" to latch onto and thus, another cycle. A frame for a woman is a "navel". "Midriffs" is a media compilation of how girls should look and act. They are believed to be.