Teen Angst

[simon_says]

I remember going through my fair share of angst and self-doubt as a teenager, but do you not think that teenagers these days are under enormous pressure to conform ( especially girls )?

[andy hughes]

The pressure is generated by the ecconomic swing - teenagers, especially the younger ones, have greater spending power than they did a generation ago, and everything is far more 'in their faces' thanks to the explosion of television and print media, and the extra advertising that they bring. With my third daughter in the throes of teendom, I do as I did with her sisters, listen while she rants, be patient while she talks nonsense, and giver her lots of cudles when she's in the mood. I also remind her that she is important, worthwhile, worthy of respect, and in charge of her own life. Hopefully it will work. As a Dad, that's what I can do - the rest is up to her.

[xyzzy@bok]

Yes. They are brainwashed, propaganded, dictated to, cajoled, humiliated, and scared into conforming through fear of rejection by peers and illusions of prestige. The marketing media is guilty; especially 'fashion' magazines. The irony of this is that the media say get thin, the health and fitness media say get thin and the food admen say eat burgers drink Coke, eat crisp and chocolate knock it back buy some more. And then they've got to spend still more money on designer clothes or they'll be bullied by their peers for not fitting in; oh and football shirts and �100 trainers and a mobile phone, they got to have that too, and they Need a computer... So the kids are getting a right royal going over from opposing directions. And to much extent too, adults. Women more so, but all of us really. How sad that we can't stop this greed machine from distorting our lives. Women and children first.. give us your money for cr@p you don't need. :-)

[WaldoMcFroog]

Agree with the other contributors so far. One of the things which makes me by turns both angry and amused is the co-opting of punk/metal.

I don't mind punk/ metal - I still listen to a lot of (amongst plenty of other stuff) heavy rock/ metal (tho' not the stuff made by ignorant halwits with retarded views on sexuality, gender and race etc) so I'm certainly not against it per se, and nor would I subscribe to any notions that it's bad for you. I find it pretty sad that kids of 10 are wandering around in Korn or Sum 41 shirts. You're not supposed to feel that bad until puberty kicks in, for god's sake!

But punk is so annodyne now - Busted is the logical evolution of the co-opting of punk - turn the guitars down as far as you can, and reveal the formulaic pop song beneath. (The other effect of all this is that there are bands who are punk/ metal and have a musical agenda that extends further than fleecing kids, but they're also damaged by assocaiation.)

When your 'rebellion' is dictated and exploited by marketing men (Which, let's not be naive, it always was to *some* extent, but not like it is now) you're in trouble.

So, the sad thing is that kids have their individuality crushed out of them. The very things that can produce left field thinkers and do'ers is feared by advertsing executives. Time to watch Bill Hick's Revelations for the piece about marketing men...