How are Teenagers Viewed in Contemporary Society?
Teenagers are often viewed by society as irresponsible and immature due to the attitude and actions of a
typical adolescent. They are regarded as rebellious and without rules, and being unable to maintain themselves. An example of the reckless decisions of teenagers occurred recently. "A 15-year-old boy sneaked into
the wheel well of a Boeing 767 and flew from San Jose, California, to Maui, Hawaii", (Almasey) said CNN. Stories like these often make headlines because of the public's interest in teenagers' misdoings. Because of the interest in stories of this topic and the frequency in their appearances in the media, the public thinks poorly of teenagers. A person is more likely to find a story regarding teenagers' mistakes rather than their successes.
Many TV shows also present teenagers as immature, it is not uncommon to see a television show where a teenager is disobedient to their parents, and the audience is supposed to sympathize with the adults in most situations. Examples like this contribute to the negative connotation that society has developed towards teenagers. Real-life events, the media itself, meaning television, movies, news, and music, all present the teenager as irresponsible and immature.
After searching “raising a teenager” in Google, most of the results were a list of tips on how to raise a teenager into a confident, responsible young adult. The headline from one of the articles read, "Helping an adolescent become a caring, independent and responsible adult is no small task” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). The headline has the view that without adults to guide them, teenagers will grow up to be an uncivilized delinquent. This summarizes what society thinks about teenagers in general. Granted, this stereotype may or may not be warranted due to recent teenage behavior, but it cannot be denied that society has a very negative view on teens.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/21/us/hawaii-plane-stowaway/
typical adolescent. They are regarded as rebellious and without rules, and being unable to maintain themselves. An example of the reckless decisions of teenagers occurred recently. "A 15-year-old boy sneaked into
the wheel well of a Boeing 767 and flew from San Jose, California, to Maui, Hawaii", (Almasey) said CNN. Stories like these often make headlines because of the public's interest in teenagers' misdoings. Because of the interest in stories of this topic and the frequency in their appearances in the media, the public thinks poorly of teenagers. A person is more likely to find a story regarding teenagers' mistakes rather than their successes.
Many TV shows also present teenagers as immature, it is not uncommon to see a television show where a teenager is disobedient to their parents, and the audience is supposed to sympathize with the adults in most situations. Examples like this contribute to the negative connotation that society has developed towards teenagers. Real-life events, the media itself, meaning television, movies, news, and music, all present the teenager as irresponsible and immature.
After searching “raising a teenager” in Google, most of the results were a list of tips on how to raise a teenager into a confident, responsible young adult. The headline from one of the articles read, "Helping an adolescent become a caring, independent and responsible adult is no small task” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). The headline has the view that without adults to guide them, teenagers will grow up to be an uncivilized delinquent. This summarizes what society thinks about teenagers in general. Granted, this stereotype may or may not be warranted due to recent teenage behavior, but it cannot be denied that society has a very negative view on teens.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/21/us/hawaii-plane-stowaway/