Editorial: Teens of the Modern Era

I’m not a fan of stereotypes in any form, but stereotypes that affect me directly make me angriest of all. In our modern world, there are stereotypes for everything, but one that I have never liked is the adults’ view of the modern, computer-age teenager.

                We’re lazy and always tired, but we love to stay up late. We are moody and react harshly to the littlest things. We watch too much mindless television, and read mindless books that are not appropriate (if we ever read at all). We never think anything through before doing it, and never think about how things affect others. We never agree to anything adults say because we are naturally rebellious. We don’t like taking orders because they restrict our naturally rebellious nature. And, worst of all, we speak in code and use “like” in almost everything we say. There you have it: the modern teen in a nutshell, according to comments made by some parents and other adults.

                The behavior of teenagers has always been a popular study for some psychologists. Scientific proof backs up most of the emotional swings, and a lot of our conditions have to do with physical development- including development of the brain. So, there are reasons for the way we are, but what about the other things that we are reprimanded for, like the constant presence of cell phones, and the disgusting use of the English language?

                It seems that teenagers have always been the subject of many complaints from adults. In past decades, teens have been known to take part in crazy peace protests, listen to vulgar music, rebel against the common view, and more. With each generation, the complaints change. In the technological age, teens are known for having their eyes glued to a computer or phone screen caring little for the world outside their social bubbles. And it’s true; just as the teens of the 1950s had their rock-and-roll, we have our cell phones. And it is true that the English language has been affected by the technological age; abbreviations such as “OMG” and “TTYL” have become part of the normal vocabulary for the modern teen. Or, at least, if they don’t use them, they know what they mean.

For the children of the computer age, technology makes our whole world go round. Our idea of “living on the edge” is a week without the common conveniences of smart phones, laptops, and television. But how is this any different from any other generation of teens who are the product of the world around them? The rebellious rock-and-rollers of the 1950s, the hippies of the 1960s, the punk rockers of the 1980s, and even the American patriots of the 1770s; teenagers have always been the product of the world around them. The world we grow up in is always carried on with us and always changed.

                So, yes, it’s true: I do have a cell phone that I use to text my friends. I have a Facebook profile that I update regularly. While texting, I do use abbreviations such as “OMG” and “TTYL”. When I get home from school, I often get on the computer and check out the internet. And yes, I have that annoying habit of saying “like” too much. And, like all other teenagers, I have my emotional flaws and imbalances. Stereotypical? Yes. New? Not really. The technologically-savvy teen is just the modern hippie, or the punk rocker, or the patriot.

- Katie Brodt, Editor-in-chief