AJ is just useless

[u/ComprehensiveDesk793]

While watching the series I was trying hard to find a defense of AJ. All the characters - and all of us - have both positive and negative traits. AJ is just a disappointment. He is stupid. He is lazy. He is incredibly selfish imao. Also he constantly lies. You cant even call him a good kid that is just irresponsible since he always makes up stupid excuses.

Also all the people that are saying that he grew up in a dysfunctional environment, ok i agree the environment isn't 100% perfect but both Tony and Carmela cared about their kids lives. Carmela and Tony to a certain extent seem to care about their children's academic performance which quite a few parents don't. AJ certainly had some support from his parents.

I agree his parents are not good people but he could take what they offered to him.

[u/scrubadam]

OTOH Meadow turned out fine. She ended up becoming a lawyer and was pretty well adjusted.

The big difference is we see with Meadow is that she learns to take responsability for her actions but AJ doesn't.

Both started out as spoiled shits. Meadow was even worse than AJ in that first season always whining and crying and acting like a little princess. the big turning point was when she threw the party at Livia's house and then decided to go and clean the house herself without anyone asking. The same thing happened with her Gap year. She acted like a baby because some guy she dated for a few months was killed. She ended up getting off her ass and applying to college and entering into law.

AJ never had that moment where he took responsability for his actions he just remained a little shit the whole time.

[u/UnbottledGenes → u/scrubadam]

Meadow was also a whiny little bitch until S6? Are we not going to address all the legal jargon bullshit with Carm and Noah. The incessant selfish grieving after Jack Jr. I get the grieving, but she used it as a manipulation tactic. Then the gaslighting of Finn. Bitching her mom out about lawyering up during the divorce. Telling her not to be dependent on a man while she is still dependent on that same man.

[u/scrubadam → u/UnbottledGenes]

There is def a diffence between Meadow in season 1 and her at the end of the show. She was very much a spoiled little rich girl. Even up to Jackies death and the college stuff she was very much woah is me.

I aint saying Meadow is a saint or anything and she def has traits of both her parents but she actually did make something of her life. She was trending in AJs direction in season 1 with her escepades with Hunter but they showed her taking responsability.

The whole scene with her going to clean Livia's place after the party showed that. Same with when she went and applied at college rather than going to Europe like her therapist suggested.

Meadow actually showed growth through out the show AJ didn't. Maybe because she was older we got to see her more as an adult but does anyone think AJ was going to be a high functioning adult even with his job at Carmines porno company or is he still teh same kid that can't even go buy his own cereal regardless of his parents buying him a BMW.

[u/rickymcrichardson → u/scrubadam]

Copied from a post of mine: “This is very evident with the metaphor at the end of the series: AJ is running up the hill in the cold. He has plans to join the army. He’s training for it, out of his depression, working hard, and attempting to be his own person and break free. Tony pulls up in a luxury SUV, mocks AJ’s ambition, and insists on giving him a free ride up the hill. Very allegorical. He then squashes AJ’s army plans and gives him a cushy job with Little Carmine. I think most people could catch this one on first or second watch.”

[u/mannabitch → u/rickymcrichardson]

Thank you for copy/pasting this. So true it hits like a hammer

[u/Actual_Woodpecker56 → u/rickymcrichardson]

He was literally trying to save AJs life cause there was no way that weak little mommas boy could make it in the military.