In the interest of representing all teenagers, I volunteer myself to appear foolish and take the brunt of the humor that this response shall surely solicit. That's right, solicity. My response will positively ASK you to laugh at it, though it probably won't ring a bell in your voice like those irritating salvation army people. Thank God. That said, here goes the first of several consecutive statements that are almost to cliche to have any merit. But heaven help they're true, they really are.

Things aren't like they were 14 years ago. One and a half decades ago, there was this institution known as the American Family. The American Family held together our society so powerfully that the problems of an American child were primarily external. Food, clothing, shelter, grades, college, girlfriend/boyfriends, things of that nature; however, that instituation has been targeted as the last stronghold of the moralists. The structure of the family has been attacked and with great success- take a look at the gay marriage issue. The supremacy of the family has been challenged- note that spanking, which is what I consider an effective and logical means of punishment, has been eaten up by so many euphemisms that it is now a brutal form of torture in which parents take out their agression on innocents. Here's news for you; it honestly did hurt my parents as much as it hurt me, and probably more.

The result of these challenges has been the dissolution of the American Family, and hence a fundamental internalization of problematic areas. A child's life now is primary self-conscious. The question is no longer whether there is money for dinner but whether mommy is leaving daddy. Or, worse, whether daddy is leaving daddy. The question is no longer "when will I get my first period" or "when will hair start growing"... I'll leave that to the imagination. Anyhow, that question has become "should I like girls or boys? They both look good to me." Or even a question of supernatural intent: "did God mess up? Maybe I was supposed to be born a different gender, and as long as there's a surgery out there to correct that mistake..." That internalization of problems has targeted the very heard of the american teen, and melodrama has become that much closer to reality.

Now I'm not saying that superficiality is not a prevalent or even primary percentage of typical teenage angst, but it should be noted that not all teens are worrying about 'nothing'. They're being forced to grow up faster and faster by a society that attacks them under the pretense of protection. Ironic and just a little brutal, I think.

And don't tell me all that was "really just superficial claptrap." I'm an intelligent human being, and though doubtless my views and maturity will expand and change as I grow and mature, the topics I deem philosophical and intellectual will always be thus. All that will differ is my ability to effectively evaluate topics to a satisfactory conclusion.

Alright, those are my thoughts.

~Dan

Your message makes me realize there is more hope in the world than I thought. I am gay and 51 so most of the drift of it was offensive to me. Hope because to me the world of today is still is one big heterosexual gay bashing frenzy. Your comments mean that perhaps it is less so than I think. You are obviously smart try not so to hard to prove it and your writing will come off better. (less abstract words not in general use etc..)

"One and a half decades ago, there was this institution known as the American Family. The American Family held together our society so powerfully that the problems of an American child were primarily external."

There was? I think you need to go back a little further in time than 15 years ago. In the late 80's divorce was almost trendy, sadly. Now, my school was probably a little on the higher end of the bell curve - but in my graduating class of 450 something there were /2/ students whose birth parents were still together.

Primarily external? Lord, you know - if you were to have said something to me during that time period of my life, you most certainly would have been laughed at. Family dysfunction is certainly no new invention, and teens have been getting a large chunk of their problems from within their family for ages - since, I would believe, the first teen wanted to spread his or her wings and be their own individual.

Things aren't like they were 14 or 15 years ago, no. In fact, in many many ways the world is a much more dangerous place for a teen. In some ways, it's a safer place. Things are different, and yet, eerily similar to how they were then, and I would even imagine, before then - sometimes it's amazing at how things can change so much, and yet, be the same at the same time.

Isn't that the essence of adolescence? Everything seems so new... to each generation. All I think that anyone can to is hope that each gets through it as best they can.

Let us remember that each generation has more and more knowledge at their fingertips than the last generation had.
Could that mean intelligence expands a little quicker than in bygone eras?
And yes, every generation experiences something 'new' that the last generation didn't have..
Whether it be science & technology, to music and movies. These things influence the youth and how they see things..and therefore changes how they grow up..
Though most "melodrama" is an adolescent fasicnation..but alot of adults never grow out of that.

Funny how my parents were so right and I was so wrong about so many things. In retrospect I should have listened to them a hell of a lot more. Then again some things I was probably better off learning for myself. Or so I keep telling myself anyway

I was raised by a single mother. My dad left us when I was 4.

Lunaticus: Information is not the same as wisdom.

When it comes to the gathering of wisdom there is no substitute for time.

I agree completely. Wisdom is much different than Intelligence/Information. It says so on my AD&D character sheet! I miss 1st addition. sigh

As a recap on my last comment (I need to stop doing this and get it right the first time)
Rare is the person who accepts the wisdom that Fire is Hot. Most people have to get burned before they fully understand..As per what Anio said..
Some things are only learned for one's self.

The Governor of Illinois, Rod R. Blagojevitch, has decided to hold a meeting with the governors of Mississippi and Iowa concerning ways to cut medicare costs. One solution discussed in the meeting will be creating the legislative environment for importing unlimited amounts of prescription drugs from Canadian online pharmacies (like http://www.Candrugstore.com http://www.canadahealthlink.com, http://medicinecenter.ca, etc.). Blagojevitch says Bush's last Medicare bill is help given more to pharmaceutical giant companies than to the people of America.

I hear a lot of people talking about how much they should have listened to their parents. What's that supposed to mean? "I wish I was a dependant pansy as a kid"? Honestly folks, it's better the way it is, even if you make more mistakes along the way That's how you learn.

~Dan