Stereotypes of Adolescence

Playlist and Article by: Shannon Alfonso

Listen here! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0xti4Hil2WDxGgrXZbsaYH?si=0SCUUweQRoyCjXFlbLhd-Q&pi=u-_ARoeIDxT9SW

“ Can’t we be seventeen? Is that so hard to do?”

- “Seventeen” (Heathers the Musical) 

What are the origins of stereotypes against teens? 

The growth of youth culture started in the 1920s, which emerged from an increase in education and schooling. This included new slang, sports, the formation of sororities, and more, deepening the generational gap between parents and their children. The following decades would do the same with 50s, 60s, and 70s rock’n ‘ roll influencing teens to rebel from traditional expectations. Through hairstyles, heavy makeup, and music, teens began to form their own identity that was unique to themselves. However, these notions were quick to become stereotypes of current day teens. This issue goes way beyond just hormones and brain development. 

Stereotypes of teens 

One common stereotype is that teens are rebellious, immature, and angsty. Although some of this may be true, not all teens are like this. Everyone has their own personality, friends, and identity which makes them unique. In fact, there has been a negative connotation regarding teens' personality traits as well. This is primarily due to adults being narrow minded about change or not fully understanding that their kids grew up in a different country or era. This is the root cause of negative stereotypes. They forget that their kid did not grow up in the same way as they did or have the same circumstances. This is the main issue which the majority of parents attach to their negative opinions of teenagers. 

Another common stereotype is that kids today are “addicted” to their phones. They assume that we are spending the whole day scrolling on TikTok or other social media platforms. However, we could be using our phone to read the news or research on a certain topic. Sometimes we use the internet to spread awareness about certain topics (like Playlists for a Change). The time we spend on the phone doesn’t mean we waste time on it. In fact, researching and using the internet is a skill that helps us be more informed about certain topics. 

Societal pressures 

What parents fail to recognize is societal pressure, which can cause teens to be emotional, stressed, or lead to severe mental health issues. This can be seen in a variety of forms such as through being popular in high school, earning good grades, beauty standards, expectations, growing up, and more. To cope with these demands, many teens resort to self-destructive behaviors such as drugs. Sometimes societal demands can be too much to handle, which spurs the stereotype that teens are irresponsible and are more likely to partake in risky behaviors. Generally, teens do drugs as an escapism from their stress or other mental health issues. In addition, different teens manage their stress in different ways, which means that there shouldn’t be any labels regarding that all teens resort to concerning behaviors. 

Parents negligence in recognizing teens identity 

“Those who criticize our generation forget who raised it.”

- Bill Cosby 

The phrase “ kids these days” is certainly one of my pet peeves as a teen. Similarly, Bill Cosby’s quote recognizes that older generations tend to forget that they raised the younger generation. It is important for them to recognize that we aren’t like them and that we have a separate identity. This is what makes us teenagers after all. 

Cinema’s portrayal of teenagers

The portrayal of teenagers in movies is often exaggerated for a comedic or dramatic effect. The peak of teen-dramas and comedies were during the 1980s, where their lives were often romanticized. Teenagers were also seen to get themselves into sticky situations, typically being targets in classic horror films like Halloween (1978). This changed with the release of Heathers (1988) which depicted teens as being reckless, psychotic, and capable of murder. This diverged from the norm and was considered very controversial. It is a satire of the fun, playful teen movies of the time. The film highlights how shallow and awful teenagers' lives can be, which changed the teen-genre forever. 

How does music address this issue?

Today, there have been more genuine songs about teenage experiences, societal pressures, and relationships. This is exemplified in Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album “GUTS” which mostly focuses on teenage experiences, fears of growing up, teenage love, and the impact of beauty standards. This album has direct influences from 2000s grunge but presents a raw and fresh take on the genre. It certainly provides a sense of relatability among adolescents and crosses generations. 

My Playlist 

I have created a playlist that encompasses true emotions and feelings that teenagers may face on a daily basis. I picked songs about conformity, body image, striving for perfection, the pressures of growing up, social anxiety, and more. I hope that fellow teens can listen to my playlist and feel a sense of relatability and belonging, whether it be just one song or the entire playlist. I want these songs to sum up what the real teenage experience is like in today’s age, as well as erase the stereotypes against my age group.