Original thread link: Quora.
Answers to the question:
From Jessica Zhang
From TheBlessed9zChamberYes, this is indeed a problem, a problem going on for quite some time.
The truth is, teens are certainly far more capable than we think. The whole idea about teen brains being the problem is complete nonsense. If it were, our ancestors would not have survived. From a biological standpoint, teens are adults, and sexually mature folk were never treated as children until very recently. Teens are ready, from nature's standpoint, to function as adults. They can do everything adults can, from hunting, to chasing animals, to cooking, to reproduction, and raising children., Adults in training. I am partially agreeing with this viewpoint. Yes, they are NOT children, but, instead, are adults in training. That is why I have qualms about teens being mislabeled as "kids".teens are adults
I believe the economic system is to blame. Compulsory schooling certainly played a role in treating teens as children. It is, in fact, the main reason. But legal matters aside, nowadays, a high school diploma is an absolute must to having a future, and further education is usually needed.
Compulsory schooling may be playing a role, but, I firmly believe that adults are literally choosing to refer to teens as "kids", which is completely baffling to me. It's rather condescending for adults to refer to adolescent youths as "kids", since it comes off as rather dismissive. "Ah, those kids again!"... See how it sounds? No worries, however. I do believe the educational system is partly to blame.Compulsory schooling certainly played a role in treating teens as children. It is, in fact, the main reason.
If you have to attend school, this takes away your independence. Teenagers have a natural desire for independence, but the modern economy does not honor it. The modern world forces them to stay in school until age 18. If you're required to attend school, you have no independence, and are naturally treated as a child.
I agree. Teenagers are NOT in daycares, unless they are working or volunteering for daycares. I find that adults are losing touch with reality, in the sense that, as you've pointed out, teens want independence, and, yet, adults are constantly looking down on today's youth. For example, if one is to think of a person in charge of literally anything important, we tend to think of an adult, either middle-aged, or older. We never think of even young adults as people who can be in charge of something important, and, yet, I hear of really cool and awesome things young people accomplish, and they have not yet reached adulthood.If you have to attend school, this takes away your independence. Teenagers have a natural desire for independence, but the modern economy does not honor it.
The reality is that the teen years are FAR FROM being the most dangerous years of life. The notion that teens make poor decisions or that the teen years are the most dangerous period of one's life is nothing other than a blatant myth.
I agree that the teenage years are not the most dangerous years of one's life. By that point in time, the teens should be treated as adults in training, basically, just finishing their training for the remainder of their life, which they will begin. Of course, SOME teens make absolutely stupid decisions, there's no question about that. However, when adults over-generalize teens as "stupid kids" because some adolescents turn up in a court of law for murder, for instance, that, to me, is absolutely foolish. It is my firm belief that humanity is going down a rather sad path, if the adults are unwilling to see teens as anywhere near their level in society. Like, some are looking into colleges or universities. To me, that indicates wanting to better themselves. As a result, I highly doubt that it is appropriate to infantilize teens. This sort of problem has gone too far, and I think we can combine our resources to spread awareness that this problem needs to stop spreading itself onto other people.The reality is that the teen years are FAR FROM being the most dangerous years of life. The notion that teens make poor decisions or that the teen years are the most dangerous period of one's life is nothing other than a blatant myth.
Age-Adjusted Suicide Rated by Method, 2001-2021
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), under Grant No. 1H79SM083028-03 The views, opinions, and content expressed in this product do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of CMHS, SAMHSA, or HHS. Copyright © October 2020 by The Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma. All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2002-September 2020 by Education Development Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.sprc.org/scope/age
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015 ... oning.html
Drug Overdose Death Statistics [2023]: Opioids, Fentanyl & More
The number of deaths per year from accidental drug overdose, including methadone, cocaine, fentanyl & other prescription drugs.
https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/
Deaths due to suicide and alcohol poisoning peak in middle age. Drug overdose deaths peak between the ages of 25–44. Young people aged 15–24 have a much lower death rate than their elders in ALL these areas.
Car accidents certainly peak during the young years, but not in the way most people think. Teens aged 16–17 years have the highest car accident rates. However, it is interesting to note that car crash rates halve by the ages of 18–19.
Ouch. Yet, I think it is hardly a surprise. By that age, teens are experimenting with drugs and booze. I'm not saying it's justifiable, of course. But, by that age, they're old enough to know WHAT they're doing to their bodies, and THEY are the ones making that choice. When I was younger than 13, I had my first sip of red wine. Yet, it hurt, as in, it burned my throat. About a month or so later, I tried another sip of red wine, and it burned my throat again. So, I chose NOT to drink alcohol. AT ALL. Do I smoke? FUCK NO. Why don't I smoke? Because, before I was even a preteen, I was educated through ads that smoking and drugs are not good for the body. That's a decision of which I am proud, because I know my body was in the final stages of development. Today, I still choose not to drink alcohol, and I choose not to smoke, and I don't do drugs. If I do drugs, it's from a prescription.Teens aged 16–17 years have the highest car accident rates.
Meanwhile, those aged 20–24 have a car crash rate similar to those aged 25–29.
car accident death rates age
https://www.google.com/search?q=car+acc ... CRrtEEXL4M
The media is complicit in the infantilization of youths. TV shows and movies portray teens as drunkards, drug abusers, and delinquents, while the media constantly promotes the idea of the defective teen brain, as do parenting books and articles.
Quite a sad truth, and I agree.The media is complicit in the infantilization of youths. TV shows and movies portray teens as drunkards, drug abusers, and delinquents, while the media constantly promotes the idea of the defective teen brain, as do parenting books and articles.
From Sam FaatBecause people love to have a story or many stories about being a victim it’s that simple. No accountability for the choices they make even when obvious red flags are present in their face.
I agree with the fact that many adults LOVE to pin blame onto teens. There's an infamous police encounter where a 14-year-old is detained for being in possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Poor guy didn't know what was happening. The detaining officer released the adolescent after being ordered to by his supervisor. All I can say, thank goodness for the body cameras, because the detaining officer could have easily said "This kid is fighting me, using aggressive force", and, due to people's perception of "kids", and, yes, I am putting the k word in quotation marks, because people are misusing the term to refer to teens.Because people love to have a story or many stories about being a victim it’s that simple. No accountability for the choices they make even when obvious red flags are present in their face.
cuz they think they are smart while other countries, other people including their own sons, daughters are stupids, cuz Americans have age trauma and they mostly have don Quixote Issues
I apologize for not understanding this comment. I strongly recommend getting it re-worded, because there are a lot of grammar errors. However, to be fair to you, it sounds like you have witnessed quite a bit of these things.cuz they think they are smart while other countries, other people including their own sons, daughters are stupids, cuz Americans have age trauma and they mostly have don Quixote Issues
From Lauren Rymer
From C SI am British and I find Americans do treat teens as children in everyway compared to Britain. Once leaving school at usually sixteen or 18 if u do A levels. U are then pretty much an adult .I corrected the grammar, since I found it difficult to read. Was this the message you intended? This is not meant to be as attacking. I'm just pointing out that it was very difficult to read it as is, so, I fixed up the grammar to make it easier for me to read. Now, I'm not familiar with the British educational system, so, I have to admit, doing A levels sounds very similar to basically earning "A" grades here in Canada, and, yes, I find that, if people see that the student is earning good grades, there should be more respectful to that student.Once you leave school at usually sixteen or 18, if you do A levels, you are then pretty much an adult.
From Linda MillerAmericans tendto reject or deny biology. the reality is in most countries Adulthood starts at 16 AS THATS WHEN U CAN LEGALY LEAVE HOME or start your own familyIs this the intended message? I'm not sure which countries consider 16 to be adulthood, but, I am willing to read up on that one, for sure.The reality is, in most countries, adulthood starts at 16, AS THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN LEGALLY LEAVE HOME or start your own family!
My personal thoughts and feelings:That’s because increasingly, 16 and 17 year olds are acting more like children rather and people who are almost adults. Teenagers are children, in case you didn’t know. They’re not adults. But they also behave a lot more immaturely than they ever have before. When they whine and complain that school is too stressful, when generations of teens went through high school and didn’t get stressed out, when they play the victim and can’t be accountable for their own behaviors and choices, when the smallest little thing depresses them and they cannot figure out how to handle things, and when teens don’t have to do anything around the house except lie on their bits all day on their phones, of course they’re going to be treated like children. Those are childish behaviors. Teens used to be a lot more independent generations ago than they are now and that’s because their parents didn’t coddle them.
I think I know the reason for that one. See, there's these people called adults, and, well, they're telling 13 - 17 year olds that they're "children". So, guess what? Our result is, unsurprisingly, teens who act rather idiotic for their age, and the adults are telling themselves "See? I'm right. They're just dumb kids."That’s because increasingly, 16 and 17 year olds are acting more like children rather and people who are almost adults.
Absolutely WRONG. Seriously, look up the term "kid" in Google Images. Do you see any TEENAGERS in there? No. I never see that. That's just proof for my argument that the infantilization of TEENAGERS is VERY odd. I bet if people were to be less "teens and kids are one and the same", and more "teens are transitioning into adulthood", I'm betting that society would be less adverse to itself. Before I forget, I refuse to share the road with you, because I know you're driving under the influence of alcohol. Seriously, open up your eyes to the possibility that TEENAGERS are... TEENAGERS, and NOT children. Seriously, with your attitude of "Teenagers are children", you are drunk in my eyes, and I will dial 9-1-1 to report your driving as dangerous, since, well, you are a danger. Oh, you don't like that? Well, I don't like the viewpoint of "Teenagers are children", and I'm attacking the obvious ignorance of the truth, which is, they're transitioning into adulthood. They're neither children, NOR adults. They're in the middle. That's why they're in their own category.Teenagers are children, in case you didn’t know. They’re not adults.
Because of the infamous infantilization of them. What does one expect, if they refer to these budding adults as "children"? Do you expect to see them go "goo goo gaga", or do you expect them to say "Hey. That's inaccurate, and you should have your eyes checked."?But they also behave a lot more immaturely than they ever have before.
Go ahead, call a teen a "kid". See if they actually prove your statement correct. Some teens probably have to work minimum wage jobs, because their parents are incapable of working, or other similar circumstances. Yet, people think that adolescents are "children" or "kids", when they are transitioning into adulthood. By giving them this "kid label", it will give them the mentality of... guess what? A CHILD. Why? Because they are referred to as such, because older people than them somehow think it is "cute" to refer to teenagers as "kids". To me, that is absolute garbage. Call a teenager in front of me, and I will ask for your car keys. I do not want to share the road with people who drank too much alcohol, and, YES, it makes the person who refers to adolescent youth as "children" or "kids", or "little boy"/"little girl" sound DRUNK.