Generational gaps are always very fascinating things to study. Two situations could be identical save their time period, and that could change nearly every other faucet. Raby highlights many of the age related disconnects that exist in society. It also goes into detail generalizing the adolescent experience. Aside from simply 'otherizing' teens, the adults in the article assume responsibility as resident teenager expert. When the teenage experience is relived by these women, it seems like a seven year period of angst and anguish. It also seems like something that once went through once, one has all knowing other worldly experience to help anyone they might encountered so afflicted with teenagedom.
I don't understand though, how adults who live in the same society as the younger generation, can be surprised at the way teenagers act. For if they are a product of their environment, it is an environment created by the generation in charge. How do you expect impressionable thirteen and fourteen year olds to act when thirty year olds are singing about 'bitches' and Call Of Duty is desensitizing the masses to mass slaughter.
But there is some hope that both good deeds will be recognized and that the older generation will foster this hope for the younger ones. On the television channel 'TeenNick' there was an award show earlier in the year called the Halo Awards. If anything can give you hope that the teens of this generation want to be understood and want to grow into productive members of society.
I think adults are are often suprised because they dont always know what to expect from their teens. Sometimes they are often scared because they were once teenagers and have done "crazy" things they try to prevent their own children from doing. But I also believe that if a teens are raised in a "proper" manner, they will turn out ok. Adults can not control teens evert move. We all have to experience things and grow from them. I agree that an understanding must be reached
ReplyDeleteI like how you wrote "I don't understand though, how adults who live in the same society as the younger generation, can be surprised at the way teenagers act. For if they are a product of their environment, it is an environment created by the generation in charge." I agree with this statement of yours because I side mostly with nurture instead of nature. We are all a product of our environments and to predict how one is going to act based simply on some discourses is setting teens up for failure. We should look at the big picture and what society put in front of our teens and not fully blame it on the teens. Nice Job!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you, i think that parents are often scared that children will turn out like them or do some of the crazy things that they themselves regret doing. i also think that a child and, or adolescent is a product of nature vs. nurture.
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