Jejemon: The Culture and Angst of Today's Youth
With the entrance of the Jejemon (word corruption from “hehe” and “monster” from the Japanese anime Pokemon) among the teenage generation in the world today, text messaging using cellular phones and the internet reached another level of both euphoria and disorientation among adults.
They have their own alphabet, jejebet; fashion, jejefashion; and of course, a Facebook group, JEJEMON and music that seems farfetched from the normal way of cellphone users who are texting right spelling of the words.
Jejemon is now a pop culture in the Philippines, spreading fast in Asia and other parts of the world, through social networks in the internet (Facebook, Friendster, MySpace, YouTube, etc.).
Love them or hate them, they're ploriferating in the net!
Jejemon - What is it? c/o GenTosMenTos
Jejemon - The Pros and Cons
Aris Bonifacio created a website solely for Jejemons. He added an e-store promoting latest fashion for the group and a language tutorial site for Jejemons fans.Aris, being a computer programmer became an instant jejemaster and was featured in primetime shows in Philippine television networks.
According to him, Jejemons are the new "jologs"of this generation or the youth belonging the lower class of the society, trying to be different from typical teenagers who are now using SMS (short messaging service) of celluar phones to convey intricate messages that are hard to understand if you're not used to the numbers, letters and symbols on the gadget.
Meanwhile, Harold and Wilbert Lee, the brothers who despised Jejemons created also a website promoting anti-Jejemons shirts and all.
Many comments, both affirmative and negative, can be seen in many social networking sites. For me, this is just a fad that will just pass away. I don't agree with the description of urban dictionary that jejemons come from the poor sector of the Philippine society. Even entertainers from around the world used to elaborate their text messages. They didn't mean to abuse their own alphabet. I'm sure they're just expressing themselves, to be original, to be unique.
