an article by a friend: identity crisis

[lex]

> > Identity Crisis
Remember teenage rebellion? Children of the revolution, and all that? Remember when pop culture was something other than a load of bleached, sanitized crap? Did that ever even happen, or did we just make it up?
People make a lot of excuses. Previous generations had harder lives, they had wars to protest, and so on. What, now we don’t have wars to protest? That’s right, not that we’ve entered the twenty-first century everything is so perfect that there’s absolutely nothing for us to get worked up about. The reason our generation lacks enthusiasm about – well, anything, is that there’s nothing to be enthusiastic about. Right?

Maybe I’m crazy but that sounds pretty stupid to me. The world is just as fucked up as it was before, probably more so. There are more ways than every for us to change that, to get involved in things and do something, at least. And do we? No, of course not, why would we when we can spend our summers sitting in front of a fucking computer playing video games? Before I go any further, let me tell you that I’m as guilty of this as anyone else. After all, don’t I have every right to be? Like most people I know, I’ve had the world handed to me on a silver platter since before I knew what that meant. Why should I care what’s going on thousands of miles away, in countries whose names I can’t pronounce, to people who I’ve never met? It doesn’t affect me, after all. why should I care? Look, I don’t even have to think about it. All I have to do is turn on my Playstation and not think about it. That, or I could just listen to the radio. Nothing there is going to tell me that there are people starving in third-world countries and we should do something about it.

The scary part is that this is how most teenagers think. Just look at the current music scene. It’s complete shit. Even our parents’ generation had their protest songs and their political anthems. We have user-friendly, fun music that tells us the same thing everyone does: it doesn’t affect you, so just don’t think about it. From depression to the economy to the war in Iraq. Just don’t think about it. Even punk, our last hope at music that does anything other than entertain, has been cleaned up and turned into stuff that any kid could listen to. Political messages? What political messages? They just listen to it because it’s fun to play air guitar to.

This is our generation’s tragic flaw. It’s not that we’re shallow, or ignorant, or too heavily influenced by the media, though all that is pretty true as well. The real problem is that we just don’t care. It’s not just about politics, either. How many people here would do anything at all if they didn’t have to? Here’s an example: I spend a lot of time bitching about Urban Freakshow. I have to update, I don’t feel like it, it can be such a pain sometimes. You know the drill. The trouble is, I can’t talk about this with anyone my own age because I just keep getting the same question: “Why do you do it, then? Who told you to?”

The whole world could become a fascist dictatorship, and no one would oppose it because they just didn’t feel like it. I know we all hate adults for their blatant mockery of teenagers, but can you really blame them? We’re asking for it.

Well, this was a fun article. What are you going to do now that you’re almost done reading it? Turn on your stereo, listen to that new album you just bought? Watch a sitcom on TV? Play the latest game on your Xbox? Sure, Urban Freakshow is nice and all, but it can only entertain you for so long, right?


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written by Brette Phillipson aka Aidan of http://www.urban-freakshow.com

i think she has a point

[lex]

[Elemental]

/me 's eyes explode

[YH]

/me scratches his head

While I see a point here, I don't see how this is shows an "identity crisis" among teenagers.

Unless she is saying that it is the teenager's responsibility and identity to be the "enlightened" ones, the ones that (in their own eyes, mind you) realize the wrong-doings of the world and do what they can to fix it.

Then she might be true, although, from my own experience now, most teenagers are just as concerned about their own future and everyone else's.

And lastly... while I can't say for the teenagers of her country (which I presume is the US), I can say that teenagers of previous generations were the ones she was talking about - young, lively-spirited, always passionate... and very naive and easily controlled by a dictator with propaganda and emotional speeches. All those brutal crimes you may have heard in a dictatorship..... it is not the old ugly guy sitting in a throne doing it. It is the young follower that does the dirty work with pride.

[Lune [6 Option Mod]]

[quote="YH";p="162015"]And lastly... while I can't say for the teenagers of her country (which I presume is the US), I can say that teenagers of previous generations were the ones she was talking about - young, lively-spirited, always passionate... and very naive and easily controlled by a dictator with propaganda and emotional speeches. All those brutal crimes you may have heard in a dictatorship..... it is not the old ugly guy sitting in a throne doing it. It is the young follower that does the dirty work with pride.[/quote]

Well, unfortunately, it seems that the Brats of America these days are either lively, passionate, and naive ... or dull, morose, and cynical.

What a great pair of options. And that's just from my own experience. I am sure it differs all over the place in areas I've never lived in or been to.

[aidan]

Hi everyone. I've been keeping track of this in the last couple of hours that it's been here, and I thought I might add a few things.

First off, I was really, really angry when I wrote this. I can't remember why, but knowing myself it was probably after witnessing more of my generation's indifference to everything. I'm probably the only one who really hates that.

Second, I don't live in the US. I live in Singapore, where I've lived my whole life, though I'm actually Canadian. This really adds to the anger factor, as people in Singapore are known not to care about anything. I doubt the term "revolution" is even in the dictionary here - people just don't care, and the youth is most guilty of this. Just so you know.

Also, the title referred to this generation's lack of any identity at all. We've let ourselves be brainwashed into thinking whatever we're supposed to, and as a result we've never formed any kind of identity. Or not. I don't know.

And by the way Lex, I love you and all but you of all people should know how much I hate being referred to as "she". Doesn't annoy me as much as adolescent stupidity, but still...

That's all. You may or may not agree with me (the former more preferable, the latter more likely) but it's nice to be heard.

Aidan

[Infin8Cyn]

punk, our last hope at music that does anything other than entertain, has been cleaned up and turned into stuff that any kid could listen to.

Punk has never been anything but people who can't play their instruments and a pubescent singer SCREAMING into a microphone about how he doesn't like it when his parents ground him for kicking the cat.

Punk = Shit. IMHO, always has, always will.

[SothThe69th]

Well, your welcome to your opinion Infin8cyn, even if it isn't taking into account the bands of times long past, who didn't totally suck ass.

[Phong]

Why the hell do we even want political messages ? Whats wrong with music that is fun to listen too, or fun to play on the guitar ? I always thought that music was supposed to be fun and enjoyable, not mind-wrenchingly political so that only a particular political persuasion can enjoy it.