Appaling picture of teenage America

[Saint Marcus]

I'm sorry, could you please rephrase?

Of course, I'm sorry. You said that parents in the US aren't mature enough, and that they don't have realistic life goals. The question I asked is why that is different in Canada or Europe? Are parents and people really that different, and if so, what caused this?

my high school is similiar

My God...those stats you give are really terrible.

I have slept with 3 girls, as has my closest friend. This is pretty much the average for people who are 19 years old. Recent studies show that people who graduate from college (around age 22) on average have slept with 6 people. Only 6! Judging by these figures in the US it would be double if not triple.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Aren't these "teenagers are out of control" threads supposed to be cleared out after 40 years or so?

I think (I could be wrong) that the 60s were about revolution

now the revolution is already past

this is not about rebellion, this is about (large groups of) people ****ting away their lives for no reason or prupose

I know extreme drug users in college and, while I don't think it is the best, far more are surviving (I know some though that have done stuff like go permantently on bad trips)

there is a fundamental lack in a lot of the US's youth

and maybe it has always been there but I would argue that it has gotten younger (I know that in my community, I saw the majority of those older than me behaving as has been described in 11/12, while those my age the majority behaved in the described manner in 10/11 (with good numbers doing so in 8/9), and in those a few years younger-current I see the large majority doing so in 8/9)

and I think it is the age that parents should do something

Jon Miller

[Bas]

In Holland among teens it's only 1 in 20.

Are you sure? At least, among the people I know, much more than 5 % have smoked pot at some time. One third is more likely IMO.

[Roland]

1 in 20 ? That looks very implausible.

Anyway, teenagers are experimenting with sex and drugs. Excessive ? Well, maybe. But there may also be an element of exaggeration. Much worse in the US ? I doubt it if you compare cross sections of the entire society.

[chequita guevara]

I was only commenting on the irony. Every generation turns on its teenagers. I still remember the diatribes against Generation X.

Yes, I do think the generation has some problems. Part of that is because, getting older, I am beginning to become an old fart. However, like nearly every generation that has been aucces of being out of control, they have some serious issues of alienation to deal with.

Our society is soul deadening. It is a white-bread, McDonalds, corporate created, instant culture. The real question isn't why are our teenagers crazy. The real question is why everyone else isn't either.

[Roland]

"The real question is why everyone else isn't either."

Where was that "In a sick world, normality is insanity" (or so) quote from ? Just can't remember....

[Caesar the Great]

its not too bad in my school... certainly not what you describe

of course theres always going to be those all out sluts who screw anything with a pulse... but the vast majority of girls don't lose virginity until they're over 16... although i'm noticing that is changing for the worse...

alcohol on the other hand is a huge problem here.... this is litterally a town of future alcoholics... i'd say close to 90% are casual drinkers and about 60% regularly (every weekend) and 20% have real drinking problems (almost every day)

pot isn't too bad, sure theres a group of druggies who are always stoned or something, i'd say around 35% have tried it, but maybe 10% regurally smoke it....

hard drugs are confined to about 5%

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Caesar the Great
its not too bad in my school... certainly not what you describe

of course theres always going to be those all out sluts who screw anything with a pulse... but the vast majority of girls don't lose virginity until they're over 16... although i'm noticing that is changing for the worse...

alcohol on the other hand is a huge problem here.... this is litterally a town of future alcoholics... i'd say close to 90% are casual drinkers and about 60% regularly (every weekend) and 20% have real drinking problems (almost every day)

pot isn't too bad, sure theres a group of druggies who are always stoned or something, i'd say around 35% have tried it, but maybe 10% regurally smoke it....

hard drugs are confined to about 5%

Others I know have highschools similiar to what you describe.

So I know that mine is particularly bad.

So it is only some highschools that turn out crap.

Jon Miller

[Dr Strangelove]

Anyone ever here the phrase "one bad apple spoils the barrel"? Maybe that's the problem. It seems that in the American youth pop culture "cool" is everything.

[Saint Marcus]

rectification: 1 in 20 between the ages of 12 and 16 have used drugs.

among college students (18-22) it's 3 in 10.

[General Ludd]

At the HighSchool I went to, I'd say that 2 thirds of the kids there did drugs. (from the people I knew, both soft and hard - whatever they could get) It's probably more like 80% of the kids if you include cigarettes and alcohol, though. Sex didn't seem to be a big thing... but I wasn't very involved in the social scene, so I probably wouldn't know if it was.

I have a hard time believing that this isn't the case (more or less) in any modern city.

[Bas]

Yes, that seems more likely. But why do you think that's a bad thing ( the 3/10 number, I mean)? I'd say that trying marijuana is nothing shameful.

[Asher]

To be fair, the documentary you saw was what we call "sensationalist piece". Certain areas of the country with certain groups of people tend to do certain stupid things.

Sex and drug use (and STDs) aren't quite as rampant as you think they are, but they are a problem (I disagree on some drugs, though )

[Deity Dude]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
my high school is similiar

where are u from?

[chequita guevara]

Actually, the documentary he saw sounds like a Frontline piece, "The Lost Children of Rockdale County," I saw on the same subject a few years ago. Probably just translated into Dutch. Frontline's a rather well respected PBS TV news program.