Why Do People Stereotype Teens?
Question by Dakota: Why do people stereotype teens?
People stereotype people in their teenage years with a lot of characteristics. I do not care to come up with a list, but I’m sure common knowledge brings up an image in anyone’s mind when the word ‘teenager’ is used. To me, it brings up a lot of those same adjectives. What i believe, however, is that there should be a distinct line between a ‘teenager’ and someone “in their teenage years”. Not all teens are the same. The fact that a very large portion of society groups the people who abuse drugs, are high school dropouts, don’t know proper English, etc. with the people in their teenage years that are millionaires drives me crazy. I hate the grouping that society has imposed. You could find a 12 year old that is mature enough to be called an adult, or find a 40 year old that is so immature, you could call them a teenager. The word ‘teenager’ needs to be redefined, not based on years of age, but based on maturity. Society has created a stereotype and stigmatism that will be forever attached to the word ‘teenager’. Since this won’t change, the only logical solution is to redefine what a teenager is. There needs to be a distinction between ‘teenager’ and “someone in their teenage years”. I welcome your input on my thesis, constructive criticism, comments, etc. Below is a description of myself, lifestyle, and habits, for those who wish to better understand my basis for asserting that ‘teenager’ is an inaccurate word, and should be redefined.
I am 18, will be 19 in less than a week. I have grown up in a life that has made me self-sufficient. I thank my parents that they did not spoil me, and in some cases, provide what others may consider the basic responsibilities of being a parent. I learned to do my own laundry when i needed a step stool to do so, I learned to cook for myself by age 8. I moved out of my parents, and was living with a roommate at age 16. I have always been self sufficient. Right now, i work about 25 hours a week at Pizza Hut, making $ 9.00 an hour, but am also self employed in a commission-based sales system – kind of like a pyramid scheme, but im at the top of the chain. I make close to $ 3000 a month, working 25 hours a week. I have developed great grammar – I’ve been called a grammar Nazti) and writing skills (Might not be apparent here, since i am drunk right now). I have an excellent understanding of physics, and electricity. I consider myself to be a decent carpenter. Overall, I would consider myself to be much more successful than most people my age. I am relatively modest, I have an IQ of 157, but when encountering others, don’t flaunt that, or consider myself better. When i refer to the fact that I am smart, I stress the fact that I earned it; I spend my free time reading, or experimenting with things – (I built an electrolysis device out of a coffee maker and transformer when I was 14 to better understand hydrogen and oxygen. I dedicate a huge portion of my efforts to maintain and build my knowledge, so I don’t feel bad for those that don’t try, because I do.
To the negative side of me:
I am an alcoholic, and have been so since I was 16. I went through a state of depression because I was in love with a woman, but she was already dating someone. We talked a lot, and hung out off the record, but she always chose him, but told me next time would be different. (Its really a long story, and the reason I have two apartments right now). I used alcohol to help me cope, and I guess I never really stopped, or desired to. I like alcohol. I like all of its effects on my body, and I have no desire to quit. So please, do not lecture me on this in any replies.
I have been smoking cigarettes since I was 16 as well. I started as a way to bond with coworkers, and got addicted.
On the positive side, the only drug I have tried was marijuana, and I didn’t like it, and am proud to say that I do not use any drugs.
I am well aware of my flaws, but accept them. In the future, I think I will make an effort to stop, but as of now, I’m okay with things as they are.
Something to add, the ‘n’ word, some people immediately picture an African-American. To all of you, I say, F**k off. I am extremely anti-racist. I literally don’t even notice color of skin in most cases.
What I would define under the classification of a ‘[n-word]’, is someone who talks ‘trashy’, has a posture that tries to resemble that of a ‘gangster’, and has a significant disrespect for authority. It doesn’t matter what the persons skin color is, the N-word has an attached connotation to it, and this is what it should be, not something based on skin, but based on personality. An African-American who is CEO of a company, should not be grouped in the same crowd as a Caucasian that grabs their junk while walking down the sidewalk and signalling rock horns at passing cars
Society has defined some terms based on their attributes, these connections will not change, what needs to change is the definition of the original terms. A n—– is not an
Best answer:
Answer by Neil
Because teenagers are stereotypes(they come in 4 archetypes, that translate to 99.999% of all teens), even in your question, you hit all the traits of a typical rebellious teen.
Over-estimating your ability, and maturity, scheming to make money, reckless substance abuse, naive romances, challenging the ‘stereotype’, and trying to ‘change the World’.
Now that doesn’t mean you’re not an individual, it just means that the developing mind, is limited in it’s self-expression, so it’s not a value-judgment, just an observation, that’s proven true over the generations.
Answer by Lakota
They do it themselves