Urbanization in the country today is escalating in an inevitable degree due to the immense proliferation of popular media such as the television, radio, magazines, and the internet. It has subjected loads of young people to a consumerist “what’s hot and trendy” lifestyle, transforming them into a massive agent of popular culture. Despite the worsening extent of poverty in the country, these young people still seek the importance of being identified as a citizen of the modern world, thus creating a culture of “show-offs.” Their intake of countless popular symbols, icons, music, language, style and fashion represent a kind of ideology, a defense or protection for survival. 
The variety of emblems they carry, be it emo, punk or bling-bling clearly defines the group they want to be classified, and such grouping has spelled greater influence on the development or decay of their psychological and intellectual maturity. The effects of socio-economic instability, rapid developments in mass media and technology, has caused adverse consequences in the behavior of the youth, engaging themselves to risky activities such as smoking, drinking, drug use, gang wars, sex and violence.
Infectious magnifies images of young people who incessantly reinvents and replicates identities as an aid to conceal and liberate spirits. Infectious
West Gallery
26.2-26.3,2009
