The State of Our Youth.

Essay by awilkinsonHigh School, 11th gradeB+, April 2003

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As diverse as the cultures are in our modern world, there is always one parallel that brings us all together. It is the fact that we are all humans. No matter how much influence we have received on particular matters, we will inevitably think the way we want to think. From the day that we are born, we start to discover our individuality. Of course, it is always a challenge to act out on our thoughts, until we are given the proper credibility. Anything that a five year old says will probably be passed off as cute, and the same message will be considered old and whiny at age ten. It is only when we crossfade into the teen years that people actually start to listen to you.

Being a teenager is a stark contrast to being a child. First off, you are no longer referred to as a ?kid?, and a surprisingly strong sense of independence starts to develop.

Naturally, puberty kicks in, and in comes the blitz of drastic changes of bodily functions, such as expeditious growth spurts, uncontrollable breakouts of acne, raging hormones, and erratic beginnings of menstrual cycles. The list goes on and on, only adding more to the tribulation stage that we call the teen years.

The youth want the illusion that they have control over their lives. They need a reason to justify their existence, and to have a reason to stand out among the rest. Obviously, everyone has their own perspective as to what their equivalent of standing out is, and they have different ways to strive for that goal.

The dynamic of society is set up in the means that youth are usually perceived as shady and ignorant. Adults usually look down on teenagers, and patronize them in ways such...