This conversation has closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »
Does being a teenager mean I should have different opportunities to adults?
I'm a big believer in the power of kids, but I'm sure many feel differently.
I reckon children get a pretty bad press, maybe I'm a cynic (see my profile for details)
Fritzie Reisner 10+
Depending where you live there may be youth programs, mentoring, and other resources for which only teenagers are eligible because those who provide them are particularly interested in serving you and opening doors for you. Adults are not the population they care about.
In terms of work opportunities, most employer's will hire someone who they think has the background and experience to do the job well. Many will also take into account how long the applicant will likely stay in the job before moving on to something new, particularly if the job involves on-the-job training. So an employer with a job opening may prefer a thirty year old with a family to support than a teenager who will need to quit to go back to school in September.
The differences in opportunity are not the result of looking down on children or teenagers. Most adults, I think, see children and teens as being the hope for the future and believe society needs to invest not only their hopes but also resources in preparing kids for a rosy future. I don't know anyone who looks down on children or teenagers. I know many adults with very negative views of other adults.
Allan Macdougall 10+
A problem arises when so-called wisdom turns into indoctrination, going against the young person's rapidly-establishing autonomy and rapidly developing free-will, fulfilling prescribed expectations from the parties who think they know best. Very often they do not know best. If I were you, I would be very wary of those who are telling you that 'more of the same' will be good for you and your generation.
The passing on of adult knowledge and experiences from the past is all very well, but if that wisdom is inherently flawed and unfit for the purposes of the next generation, it is useless at best, destructive at worst.
The best person to judge whether that wisdom is fit for your generation's purposes, is you.
Elizabeth Gu 10+
Many adults tend to think that teenagers are just naive, fearless, clumsy and plucky, which means they tend to ignore our values. Or should I say... most of the adults look down on teenagers just because we are young and seem so incomplete?
In order to satisfy their parents and teachers, quite many teenagers try to modify themselves.
Even though sometimes adults' disciplines and wisdom are very crucial to our lives, by trying to be like them, we unconsciously lose our pureness, dreams, and compassion just because those kind of things are no longer beautiful to the adults, but seem so "childlike".
I know that there are lots of great adults who are inspiring and open-minded to teenagers, but trying to measure up to your parents' or teachers' expectation should not be our ultimate goals.
I'd say sometimes rebellious attitude toward the adults is necessary--not physically.
Just keep asking yourself, "why should I have to do this?", "Is it fair?", "why am I not allowed to do that?"
I mean, we can protect our precious “values” by being more flexible, somewhat rebellious and creative.
Never lose your own values no matter what adults say so that "you can be anything you wanna be."
Rhona Pavis 30+
Mike Euverman
This is of course with the bias that teenagers would be given fewer opportunities. If you take "different" to mean "more", then my answer is still a no.
Yasin ORHAN
Beste Arslan
Derek Mullinari
Granted, the laws are put in place for their own benefit, because of their lack of experience or immature brains. But they should be judged individually by their actions, not by the actions of the demographic as a whole. It's profiling.
Which is why the internet plays a huge role. On the internet, you are judged by your ideas and your ideas only (if you refrain from posting personal information). The internet allows all ideas to be judged equally.
David Hamilton 20+