Teenagers of the current generation seem to be having less fun, at least compared to the stereotypical concept of fun their parents and grandparents adhered to.
The article does not address the activities of college students, who may paint a different picture. Nonetheless, this study of teenagers draws attention to the differences between generations and demands answers for these small yet significant transformations.
According to the statistically heavy article, teen alcohol use is at a historic low. Many parents and scholars assume that teenagers are simply lying on surveys, making the data unreliable. For those that have a bit more faith in teens’ honesty, the question as to what has changed still remains. In areas like sexual health, improvement can be attributed to a steady increase in the availability of information about HIV/AIDS, pregnancy prevention and other risks in recent decades. The current generation has been drilled about making healthy decisions throughout its education. The common school policy of “zero tolerance” may also add to the decrease in taboo behaviors, as students do not want to test their chances of getting caught experimenting with illegal drugs. Today’s world is one where second chances are often hard to come by.
Many excuse it as a result of no political movements to rebel against — but in reality this generation has witnessed war, terrorism, international turmoil and domestic problems aplenty, especially in terms of the economy. Others turn to parents as the root cause. Due to modern technologies, parents have the opportunity to heighten surveillance of their children in remarkable, if not frightening, ways. Teenagers could be avoiding smoking or drinking because they feel that their parents will instantly find out and punish them.
Reality television programs and celebrities are constantly criticized for promoting excessive partying and sexual promiscuity. A valid argument exists that teens have actually learned what not to do from the transparent examples of celebrities and TV stars. Popular programs that adults and professionals are quick to judge can serve as a learning tool. Perhaps society should relax its attitude towards shows like “Jersey Shore” or “Teen Mom.” For every 16-year-old girl that dreams of living the lifestyle of Snooki, there seems to be 20 others that are utterly appalled by her behaviors. Censoring these examples from teens can backfire, instead leaving adolescents to seek out trouble themselves. Allow teenagers the chance to watch other young characters make the mistakes and learn from them.
Ironically, older generations are concerned by these statistics. They claim that today’s youth are complacent and do not rebel against norms. Simply because there is no explicit counter-culture with a collective desire to trip on acid does not make teens any less likely to fight back against cultural norms. Rebellion comes in numerous forms, and teenagers today have the opportunity to speak out in more constructive ways.
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