one view is that this is just reflective of the extremes that today's younger generation has to go to in order to be unique. (see tattoos, body piercing, etc.)

(personal aside: when I were a lad, the mother of a good friend threw out his new Kingston Trio LP; one song offended her -- something along the lines of "don't give a damn about a greenback dollar".)
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/Stage/5476/A_Artists/Axton_Hoyt/greenbackdollar.html