Are teengers really that dense?

[flarty]

Well, here in the U.K cyber bullying seems to be a big issue at the moment, after some teenagers have killed themselves over abusive comments and messages, with ask.fm being at the centre of the storm.
Now while this is a horrible tragedy for the families involved. My question is when did teenagers became so dense? Are they not aware that they do not have to visit these social networking sites? If they were really so upset at receiving such distasteful messages off anonymous people couldn't they just switched off and watched funny cat videos instead?

Are some teenagers really that socially backwards that they rely on social networking sites these days?

 

[Esotera]

All these cases almost certainly have more to them than just use of social networking, although the media aren't going to report on that as it makes a better story. We never see stories about how regular bullying caused someone to kill themselves because computers are evil and should be distrusted at all times.

 

[Doclector]

Well, quite frankly, they probably thought the experience might be different, or just a bit of fun. They probably formed some connections through said sites, and didn't want to let that go, even as people continued to torment them through it.

That said, the focus needs to be on the bullying itself, not the method.

 

[Bobic]

I'm pretty sure the cyberbullying angle is just thrown in to scare old people who think the internet is the work of the devil. In reality it's probably just an extension on top of regular bullying, which is shit and sadly can lead to suicide. I really do wish more was done to combat it.

That said, the answer to 'are teenagers really that dense?' is always a yes, regardless of why it's asked. Teenagers are just super dense, yo.

 

[Tzatziki3301]

Have you been and looked at ask.fm at all?

Don't. Its the greatest center of 'Tits or GTFO!' and 'Screw me pleez!' I've ever seen. Spent 10 mins skimming about 8 different local profiles of local teenagers I knew and not a single one of them would be considered something a parent would be happy to know about their little boy/girl.

Teenage bravado is one thing, anonymous calls of 'you must be fat because you won't put out' is just the social equivalent of eating out of the bin behind McDonalds.

 

[Foolery]

You have probably heard that humans are more than 90% water. If this is true, then teenagers must have a density close to that of water, which is 1 gram per cubic centimeter. Oh, I'm sorry you meant that kind of dense. Yeah, I've never understood cyber-bullying.

 

[shrekfan246]

While I'm going to agree with what other people have said that the cyber-bullying was probably only part of the whole story, I'd also like to state that teenagers have always been dense. You were dense, I was dense, all of our friends were dense, our parents were dense, their parents were dense, it's almost like it's a prerequisite of being a teenager to be stupidly naive and overly confident.

There's a marked difference between being mature and being wise, and there are very, very few teenagers out there who are actually aware of the way "the real world" works beyond school, no matter how mature they may be for their age.

And that last line is pretty darn naive itself, if you ask me, because it appears like you think it's a recent occurrence for there to be teenagers who are socially awkward to the point of rarely hanging out with people. That's not new either, the difference is that the internet provides a conduit for them so that they don't need to feel so alone, even while not in the physical presence of another human being.

 

[shootthebandit]

You have probably heard that humans are more than 90% water. If this is true, then teenagers must have a density close to that of water, which is 1 gram per cubic centimeter. Oh, I'm sorry you meant that kind of dense. Yeah, I've never understood cyber-bullying.

Thanks sheldon cooper

On a serious note. If you dont want to be subject to anonynous abuse (to the extent that you will kill yourself) then its probably a good idea to avoid social network

 

[purplecactus]

Like others have said, there was almost certainly other circumstances aside from the cyber bullying. However, the block and ignore features exist for a reason. Why not use them in order to shut out the bullies in question, and then continue to enjoy using the site(s)? That's what I don't understand. If someone is bullying you in the real world you don't go out of your way t be around them, do you? So why continue to allow these people access to your online profiles? Isn't that, you know, common sense?

 

[Foolery]

While I'm going to agree with what other people have said that the cyber-bullying was probably only part of the whole story, I'd also like to state that teenagers have always been dense. You were dense, I was dense, all of our friends were dense, our parents were dense, their parents were dense, it's almost like it's a prerequisite of being a teenager to be stupidly naive and overly confident.

Pfft. Stereotype much? Don't get me wrong, I had a few silly ideas as a teenager, but nothing on the level that kids are capable of today. And not all fall into that category now either.

Thanks sheldon cooper

Who?

 

[shrekfan246]

While I'm going to agree with what other people have said that the cyber-bullying was probably only part of the whole story, I'd also like to state that teenagers have always been dense. You were dense, I was dense, all of our friends were dense, our parents were dense, their parents were dense, it's almost like it's a prerequisite of being a teenager to be stupidly naive and overly confident.

Pfft. Stereotype much? Don't get me wrong, I had a few silly ideas as a teenager, but nothing on the level that kids are capable of today. And not all fall into that category now either.

Well, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. Teenagers are naive; there's no way around that. With the way North American/European societies largely work, it's practically impossible for a teenager in those countries to not be naive these days, because they just don't get the "life experience" while they're still in school, and school doesn't prepare them for what's actually beyond. Yes, there's going to be teenagers who get it, obviously, but I can't believe it's a vast majority of them.

And I'd like to question how old you are, because if there are technological differences between when you were a teenager and now, then obviously there's going to be a rift between the stupid things you did and the stupid things kids today do. But make no mistake, taken in a relative vacuum the things teenagers did thirty years ago were just as stupid as the things they do today.

If I really have to be so specific, then I acknowledge that there are teenagers who don't act stupidly. I never did. That doesn't mean they're not naive about how the world works and have control over their feelings, though.

 

[Foolery]

While I'm going to agree with what other people have said that the cyber-bullying was probably only part of the whole story, I'd also like to state that teenagers have always been dense. You were dense, I was dense, all of our friends were dense, our parents were dense, their parents were dense, it's almost like it's a prerequisite of being a teenager to be stupidly naive and overly confident.

Pfft. Stereotype much? Don't get me wrong, I had a few silly ideas as a teenager, but nothing on the level that kids are capable of today. And not all fall into that category now either.

Well, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. Teenagers are naive; there's no way around that. With the way North American/European societies largely work, it's practically impossible for a teenager in those countries to not be naive these days, because they just don't get the "life experience" while they're still in school, and school doesn't prepare them for what's actually beyond. Yes, there's going to be teenagers who get it, obviously, but I can't believe it's a vast majority of them.

And I'd like to question how old you are, because if there are technological differences between when you were a teenager and now, then obviously there's going to be a rift between the stupid things you did and the stupid things kids today do. But make no mistake, taken in a relative vacuum the things teenagers did thirty years ago were just as stupid as the things they do today.

If I really have to be so specific, then I acknowledge that there are teenagers who don't act stupidly. I never did. That doesn't mean they're not naive about how the world works and have control over their feelings, though.

Hey, I can't disagree with that. Naive? Absolutely. Stupidly overconfident? Nah, not all of them. I'm 22. Sorry man, I generally just don't like lumping people together. I also grew up in a very small rural town, so I think that's tainted my perspective a bit. Most kids I knew had to have common sense and some idea of practicality.

 

[shrekfan246]

Hey, I can't disagree with that. Naive? Absolutely. Stupidly overconfident? Nah, not all of them. I'm 22. Sorry man, I generally just don't like lumping people together. I also grew up in a very small rural town, so I think that's tainted my perspective a bit. Most kids I knew had to have common sense and some idea of practicality.

All right, overstating any sort of overconfidence in teenagers is probably a little off-base, you're right. Especially when self-esteem issues seem to be pretty common these days. I just kinda threw that in because I remember how bull-headed some of the kids I knew in high school were, I was more focused on the naivety.

 

[Stasisesque]

Well, here in the U.K cyber bullying seems to be a big issue at the moment, after some teenagers have killed themselves over abusive comments and messages, with ask.fm being at the centre of the storm.
Now while this is a horrible tragedy for the families involved. My question is when did teenagers became so dense? Are they not aware that they do not have to visit these social networking sites? If they were really so upset at receiving such distasteful messages off anonymous people couldn't they just switched off and watched funny cat videos instead?

Are some teenagers really that socially backwards that they rely on social networking sites these days?

Do you not remember being a teenager? Or are you one currently?

Teenagers are pressured to be part of the social norm. To rebel against your peers as a teenager takes an awful lot of strength that most teenagers simply won't have yet. These days, social networking is the "norm" and for many kids, the idea of eschewing it is unthinkable, so they endure the bullying instead.

Besides this isn't something you can easily escape. True you could just not visit the websites in question, but the knowledge you were being bullied will stay with you, and this isn't "traditional" bullying. Social networks are everywhere. There was a time when you could escape bullies by simply going home, but that's not an option any more. Wherever the internet is, there they are, and for many teenagers, the internet is with them everywhere they go.

And as a final note, teaching teenagers to "ignore" bullying is what we've been doing for decades. I left school 12 years ago, and I was told to "just ignore them", as a result I had to leave school, forego my education and it has taken me until now to get my life back on track. If we keep teaching kids to ignore the bullies, the bullies are going to keep getting away with it. Kids should be able to be safe in their homes, but cyber-bullying is destroying that idea for many of them.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Yes, teenagers are really that dense. I should know, I'm a teenager myself (although I don't have ask.FM or Twitter). But there's definitely more underlying problems than mere cyber-bullying. This most recent girl who killed herself could've had some other issues in her family or life that contributed to her decision to commit suicide, not simply someone calling her fat on the internet.

 

[EeveeElectro]

I thought the same, but thought saying anything would be too cruel...

Anyway, to echo others, I think ask.fm was just used as a scapegoat. Of course they're going to blame the internet, but I haven't heard about how she was at school. Was she being bullied and the teachers weren't helping? Was she getting abused at home? Not everything is being considered in the reportings.

I dislike how David Cameron is telling websites to improve. Yes, there could be more in place (I don't know if there's a report button) but it's people that need to stop being dicks and going on these websites.

Instead he should say, "If you're going to be a dick and threaten to kill people online, thinking you are protected by anonymity, you're not. Don't be a dick!"

Some people don't have very thick skin and don't understand people on the Internet very well which is a shame. I don't see why some people can't just delete their accounts if they're getting abuse :/

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

As a teenager, yes, my age group is that dense.

Hell I even have a friend, whose sister is in a state of constant depression because of the crap that happens on facebook, and when me and another friend of mine told her that she should stop using it, because it is quite literally the source of most of her problems, she casually dismissed us and said it's too important for her.

/facepalm

On the plus side, not long left before I begin the most tedious part of life.

Yay.

EDIT: also what perplexes me is that none of the teens involved in such things ever went to their parents.

I don't tell my mum everything that happens in my life, but if it causes genuine distress/affects me strongly, I tell her immediately(and she is from the 60s(Eastern European too) I guess parental affection is universal, because she even cared when I told her about this wanker that ruined my day because of the way he acted in a League match)

 

[The Funslinger]

While I'm going to agree with what other people have said that the cyber-bullying was probably only part of the whole story, I'd also like to state that teenagers have always been dense. You were dense, I was dense, all of our friends were dense, our parents were dense, their parents were dense, it's almost like it's a prerequisite of being a teenager to be stupidly naive and overly confident.

Pfft. Stereotype much? Don't get me wrong, I had a few silly ideas as a teenager, but nothing on the level that kids are capable of today. And not all fall into that category now either.

Well, I'm not going to sugarcoat anything. Teenagers are naive; there's no way around that. With the way North American/European societies largely work, it's practically impossible for a teenager in those countries to not be naive these days, because they just don't get the "life experience" while they're still in school, and school doesn't prepare them for what's actually beyond. Yes, there's going to be teenagers who get it, obviously, but I can't believe it's a vast majority of them.

And I'd like to question how old you are, because if there are technological differences between when you were a teenager and now, then obviously there's going to be a rift between the stupid things you did and the stupid things kids today do. But make no mistake, taken in a relative vacuum the things teenagers did thirty years ago were just as stupid as the things they do today.

If I really have to be so specific, then I acknowledge that there are teenagers who don't act stupidly. I never did. That doesn't mean they're not naive about how the world works and have control over their feelings, though.

Hey, I can't disagree with that. Naive? Absolutely. Stupidly overconfident? Nah, not all of them. I'm 22. Sorry man, I generally just don't like lumping people together. I also grew up in a very small rural town, so I think that's tainted my perspective a bit. Most kids I knew had to have common sense and some idea of practicality.

Let's be fair, I too grew up in a rural area, and I used to while away my time playing mumbletypeg. It's a miracle I still have all my toes.

 

[Reeve]

Oh noes! NEW MEDIA IS TEH EVULZ! >.>

Who are you to tell people how and how not to socialise? By the way, it's only the media that wants you to think cyberbullying is a big issue so they have an excuse to push for even greater censorship of channels of information.

Captcha: come on down


...Off you high horse OP