Blog #1 - The Rise and Fall of The American Teenager

The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager by Thomas Hine was a very fascinating book. I enjoyed learning about how teens and the American Culture have changed throughout the years. It was also interesting to see that even though the culture has changed, teens today are still faced with many of the same issues, including rebellion and uncertainty in the transition to adulthood.
In chapter three, Coming of Age in Utter Confusion, Hine discusses the issue of eating disorders, stating that they have become an “epidemic” among young women and more common among men. Many teens have unrealistic images of what they should look like, causing them to feel like they do not fit in. Teens today are still faced with the issue of body image. Celebrities, and unrealistic definitions of beauty promoted thru the media, have contributed to poor body image and feelings of inadequacy among teens, especially in the past few decades.
In chapter seven, Counting on the Children, Hine talks about the pressure of the children to work and bring in money to support their families. Instead of going to school the teens would work in factories, on the family farm, in mills and mines. Although most American children today are not expected to work to support their families, most teens have to balance school and work.
In the end it is important to understand that although the American culture has changed, teens today are not as different as teens were centuries ago, as many people would think. When reading of the writings and comments by adults from ages ago regarding teens, I was surprised to learn that the older generations often held negative opinions and made strong judgments against teens including for their rashness, reckless fashions, and passive attitudes. Since teens throughout the centuries have had a lot of traits and behaviors in common, it seems to me that once you become an adult it is easy to forget how you felt and acted as a teen. All adults were teens at one time. This understanding would help to bridge the “generation gap”.