A Problem With Youth of Today? No.

[ExodusinFlames]

In the short time I've been a member here, I've noticed alot of ranting on youth. In fact, its a bandwagon that I've somewhat jumped on.
What I'm trying to figure out, as a 25 year old, is why everyone consistently rags on youth for becoming sexually active, experimenting with drugs or alcohol, or just generally being stupid. And moere specifically, why half of the people doing so are in that same age category.

For the sake of arguement, lets look at it from the perspective of experimentation is fine, as a good number of folks on here did so. But to those younger ladies and gents who compare a person's intellegence to their relative levels of morality, perhaps need to get out and immerse themselves in a bit of debauchery themselves.

 

[Zydrate]

I'm 20. Virgin. Didn't do drugs. Haven't touched alcohol.

Are you saying -I- should be ragged on because I'm not an idiot, and have a slightly better morale compass?

 

[ExodusinFlames]

Not at all. Simply stating if you're one of the type to say "Kids are stupid because they drink, get high, and screw", well then maybe yes.

It's like saying you don't enjoy the taste of ham, but have never acutally tried it

 

[Zydrate]

Not at all. Simply stating if you're one of the type to say "Kids are stupid because they drink, get high, and screw", well then maybe yes.

It's like saying you don't enjoy the taste of ham, but have never acutally tried it

I think food and sex are entirely different categories of comparison, my friend.

Experimentation is fine, maybe. But having "This is bad and COULD kill you" shoved in your brains and doing shit anyway is just insanity. Ergo; People make fun of teens.

 

[FLSH_BNG]

Been there, done that. Had some regrets, made and lost some good friends. It's just life really. I was just trying to have fun.

Eventually it just lost it's excitement and I quit. Now I just spend time at my job, at school, and here on the internet.

To each his own I suppose. Just don't involve me when I don't want to get involved.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

You probably should have just posted this in the existing thread on teenagers:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.108563.1833791
I know it's not quite the same question but it is very similar.

EDIT: Just to add an answer rather than just criticizing I will say it is another example of subculture wars.
I will hazard a guess that quite a few people on here are studious types who don't spend their time drinking partying, having sex and doing drugs and maybe feel put upon for not doing so by their 'cooler' peers.
They reject these things and rag on people who do. "We are a bunch of lifeless dorks? Well you are a bunch of immoral idiots with no self control" etc.

Also as has been said before there have always been tearaway kids and studious kids, conflict between the "cool" kids and the "nerds", it's not a new thing.

 

[Lord George]

I sleep around, get high, and occasionally drunk and I'm not some kind of vile feral youth, or stupid, I'm highly intelligent and read often. People just need to get off their high horse and enjoy themselves. They'll be plenty of time to moan about today's youth when I'm old.

 

[McNinja]

No.

I don't compare a person's intelligence to my religion, I compare it to common sense, and how much of it they lack. Take, for instance, the kid who brought a gun in to trade for a PSP, or the girl in Quebec who sued her dad for grounding her, or several acts of President Obama. It's that NOBODY thinks ahead anymore, and it's all some "live for the moment" bs.

The "youth" of today are only doing it because they don't care, which has been brought on by all the sex and, well, everything in the media and entertainment industries.

EDIT: the "more." I honestly don't care if you do it to have fun, or to enjoy yourself. It's just that people do stupid thing to get those things, and while on those things (drugs), that get people calling youth stupid.

 

[DarkMessiah]

Experimentation is fine, maybe. But having "This is bad and COULD kill you" shoved in your brains and doing shit anyway is just insanity. Ergo; People make fun of teens.

So you've never done anything the least bit dangerous before?
Plenty of things out there can kill us, but sometimes the positives (or percieved positives, at least) are worth the risk.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Any time I hear a "youth of today" rant, I always think of how EVERY generation thinks the "youth of the day" are awful and heading down a path to destruction. Every single one. That's just the way shit works. Our grandparents' generation had premarital sex, drank, and engaged in a lot of other "suspicious" behaviors. Hell, even the Bible has scenes of debauchery of a kind that many of our most "corrupt youth" wouldn't even attempt. (Often perpetrated by the greatest heroes of the Bible.)

It's probably "smarter" to abstain from drugs, alcohol, and sex, but some people want to take the risk. I don't think one is necessarily better or worse, it's more about what you're comfortable with.

I'm 20. Virgin. Didn't do drugs. Haven't touched alcohol.

Are you saying -I- should be ragged on because I'm not an idiot, and have a slightly better morale compass?

AvauntVanguard may be cool with being a virgin, and hey, more power to him/her. (Note: I wouldn't rag on you for your actions, but claiming to have a better morale[sic] compass? That's gonna get you some ragging, at least from me. Good natured ragging, but still.) But, if someone chooses to have sex, and to be smart and safe about it, that's fine too.

 

[Oopsie]

I'm 20. Virgin. Didn't do drugs. Haven't touched alcohol.

Are you saying -I- should be ragged on because I'm not an idiot, and have a slightly better morale compass?

I don't see what your morale compass has to do with any of the things you have listed.

 

[Andalusa]

Everyone did it. You were rebels in your own way and this is our generation's way of rebelling. Or maybe not so much rebellion or the shock factor or standing out because nothing seems as extreme as it used to.
Personally I don't see the point why we do it. To get noticed? If so, we're doing a pretty good job.
I haven't had sex, I'm gonna wait until I'm legal and I wouldn't touch drugs with a 10 foot pole. But yeah, on the drinking alcohol front. If you go to a teen party these days you're going to end up doing at least one of the three. I voted for alcohol consumption.

 

[ExodusinFlames]

Experimentation is fine, maybe. But having "This is bad and COULD kill you" shoved in your brains and doing shit anyway is just insanity. Ergo; People make fun of teens.

Most things that teens encounter are not one hit kills.
Terrible analogy, I know.

I'm not saying we shouldn't pick on them a bit, but it becomes a bit excessive.

I won't even go on about the sex factor, telling someone not to do that at a young age, is roughly the equivalent of telling them not to breathe or eat. Repression of a biological urge is exceptionally dangerous. Plain and simple.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

No.

I don't compare a person's intelligence to my religion, I compare it to common sense, and how much of it they lack. Take, for instance, the kid who brought a gun in to trade for a PSP, or the girl in Quebec who sued her dad for grounding her, or several acts of President Obama. It's that NOBODY thinks ahead anymore, and it's all some "live for the moment" bs.

I'm not sure the culture in general is at a place now where you can immediately ascribe "several" of Obama's actions as lacking common sense. I mean, I did vote for him, and I do disagree with some of his decisions thus far, but I don't think you can merely shorthand to "several acts." I don't want to say you can't have an opinion, but you may want to clarify. Like, say, "lacking common sense like Obama's economic recovery plan." I disagree with that statement (and you may as well), but at least you're pinpointing something. Just saying.

 

[McNinja]

Experimentation is fine, maybe. But having "This is bad and COULD kill you" shoved in your brains and doing shit anyway is just insanity. Ergo; People make fun of teens.

Most things that teens encounter are not one hit kills.
Terrible analogy, I know.

I'm not saying we shouldn't pick on them a bit, but it becomes a bit excessive.

I won't even go on about the sex factor, telling someone not to do that at a young age, is roughly the equivalent of telling them not to breathe or eat. Repression of a biological urge is exceptionally dangerous. Plain and simple.

The thing is though sex is a biological urge that can be repressed. It's not required for the survival of a person. It's not that they can't repress it, it's that they choose not to.

I'm not sure the culture in general is at a place now where you can immediately ascribe "several" of Obama's actions as lacking common sense. I mean, I did vote for him, and I do disagree with some of his decisions thus far, but I don't think you can merely shorthand to "several acts." I don't want to say you can't have an opinion, but you may want to clarify. Like, say, "lacking common sense like Obama's economic recovery plan." I disagree with that statement (and you may as well), but at least you're pinpointing something. Just saying.

YEAH WELL SO AM I. Just kidding. Actually I do disagree with Obama's recovery plan, as well as bowing to the Saudi (i think) king, as well as his act of not allowing air marshals and pilots to carry weapons on board their flights.

 

[Zydrate]

I'm 20. Virgin. Didn't do drugs. Haven't touched alcohol.

Are you saying -I- should be ragged on because I'm not an idiot, and have a slightly better morale compass?

I don't see what your morale compass has to do with any of the things you have listed.

...not ruining my life?

 

[Sewer Rat]

And moere specifically, why half of the people doing so are in that same age category.

So just because I am 15 that means that I have to agree with everything my age group is doing?

 

[ExodusinFlames]

Really?

The thing is though sex is a biological urge that can be repressed. It's not required for the survival of a person. It's not that they can't repress it, it's that they choose not to.

Its actually one of the most BASIC of human needs. Look it up. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. At the most elemental level.

Granted drugs and alcohol aren't a part of that at all, in a direct sense. Sometimes their are stupid social choices that are a part of what in essence would be the third tier of the heriarchy.

 

[ExodusinFlames]

And more specifically, why half of the people doing so are in that same age category.

So just because I am 15 that means that I agree with everything my age group is doing?[/quote]

Not at all, just don't pass judgements based on things you yourself haven't sampled.

 

[StarStruckStrumpets]

I'm 20. Virgin. Didn't do drugs. Haven't touched alcohol.

Are you saying -I- should be ragged on because I'm not an idiot, and have a slightly better morale compass?

Exactly how I feel, I mean, maybe not the same way, because I'm only 14, so I guess I know a lot of the "Youth" everyone is referring to. Most people I know have already lost their virginity, gotten pregnant, or have a criminal record.

Banging on about things won't help the situation, nothing will, but one thing is certain, the innocence of youth is fast fading away. Me and my group of friends are probably the only respectable people in my age group.