Our Corrupted Generation | Teen Ink

Our Corrupted Generation

December 26, 2009
By WriterA.M. PLATINUM, Denver, Colorado
WriterA.M. PLATINUM, Denver, Colorado
40 articles 0 photos 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Ignore corruption and achieve perfection"- me


What do you hear hear when you turn on the radio or put a CD in a player? What do you see when you turn on the television, pop in a DVD, or Blue-ray disc? What do you read when you turn the pages of a magazine, or scroll down web pages? What do you hear when you listen to the way your peers talk?
Most kids may not think much of it, but our way of life as teens seems to be prophesied for us by something known as the Media. TV shows or songs say that sex is great and you'll have kids doing it. Television shows and movies glamorize drug use and you'll see kids lighting up joints in-between classes. Songs rap, scream, or dare I say, actually sing violent lyrics out and the listeners start to feel more aggressive.
And who can forget the commonly used f word that we hear both from the speakers of electrical devices and human lips? Is that as high as our teenage vocabulary is? Have we never heard of verbs, adverbs, adjectives before? I always thought that was why we have an English class every school year.
Am I making any of this up? No, these things are all placed out there first and then they come true through the actions of people. Now, I'm not saying that things were going great before everything seemed to be about sex, drugs, violence, drinking, but what I am saying is that in our day and age kids are making less and less decisions from their conscience and instead look at the Media to see what is considered cool. The Media is a powerful force rather we choose to believe that or not. It can be used to promote good behaviors, but more often than not it is used to advertise things such as alcohol and how it makes you look gorgeous and popular. Hm, I wonder why they don't show any people with beer bellies or alcohol related car accidents in those ads.
I'm assuming most of you know who the moron known as Lil Wayne is. I'm also assuming you know the ridiculously stupid song "Lollipop" is. And it's things like that that make kids curious on these things.
Let get one thing out here about how a lot of guys view life as a teen. There's this thing spreading around that a guy is to go out there and get laid as much as possible before he becomes a full fledged adult. At which point he is probably married and has to stay with his wife for the rest of his life, (Assuming they take commitment seriously, which by the way they were as kids probably means they don't). And if a guy doesn't have sex that makes him a loser. This is more or less true at my school.
I am an eighteen year old male and have NOT had sex. If I were to say that to the kids that I sit with at lunch I'd be laughed out of the cafeteria. What does that tell you about our teen peers? To give you an idea of how bad things are in my school let me tell you that the county that it is in has the highest percentage of both pregnancies and STDs of any county in Texas. And Texas is the biggest of the connected states! I'm not sure if it still is, but if you are curious the county is Kaufman county.
Sadly that is not the only thing that the kids at my school are confused about. Drug use is also a serious problem. Several times I have walked down outside stair Trails and seen kids smoking pot. It's acridly sour, yet sweet smell is hard to forget once you get a big whiff of it. More than once I have been offered to try it. I have always declined and was unafraid to tell them how bad it is for their health. As of now I have only gotten one kid to stop smoking. The feeling of seeing someone become clean is amazing. It's still sad seeing our fellow teens smoking or doing worse kinds of drugs.
When I asked the kid who had stopped smoking how he had become addicted to drugs in the first place he said it was after only smoking once. So to everybody out there the saying, "It only takes one time" is not a lie it is a truth that is too often ignored as kids try to satisfy their curiosity. Or more tragically to be used as a means to get over their troubled feelings. Or perhaps to get acceptance in our degrading youth generation.
Don't get me wrong I am not saying that denying every wrong that the Media bombards us with will make our lives easier. I can tell you from my perspective that it can make for a very lonely life. In my school my morals have made me somewhat of a weirdo. I could count my friends with one hand, and I'd have to fold every finger making my hand a fist if I were to number only friends who would consider me close and invite me out with them. Although I'd probably decline all invites to a party. I have no desire to experience what goes on when teen drinking is at it's worst. Heck, I've never even had a girlfriend for pretty much the same reason. So many girls are moral-less and just as much aggressors as the guys. At least that's how it is at my school. And I have no desire to be with that kind of girl.
But what you can count on is that those people will look back in the future and wish they had made better choices when they young. It never ceases to amaze me how many poor teenagers could not find any constructive ways to get over not being accepted in a vile society that values misconduct in favor of knowledge. Kids in our generation grow up so fast, and yet they stay as stubborn if not more so than before.
Just recently I have put all my free time of lonely nights into writing time. And not just any writing, considering that I have all the time in the world available to me I have used that time to make a novel. I've written so much that it has had to be trimmed down in length.
But writing solo comes with a drawback. Feedback is all but unheard of. Parents are busy, siblings are either too young or have moved out, kids in school don't like to read, teachers are too busy or just don't care about reading kids work that isn't going into the grade book.
But I don't let any of that lower my spirits. I write on, no matter the barriers set by the limits. Remember my fellow teens, you are strong. You are not robotic drones that have to do what the Media motherboard says to do. You can tune out all the wrong that is constantly bombarded at us like an attack on our way of thinking. And you can make a difference. Standing up to the beast that is the Media is not a futile effort.
We are not taking a knife to a gunfight, but a pen. And a pen is not only mightier than a sword, but even the lead belching dragon. Treaties have ended bloody never ending gunfights. So why can it not at least lower the amount of influence that the Media has on our youth?
Because lets face it, are we expected to be the digitally altered perfect models we see in magazines? That's not even realistic and yet those things make it into print and distrubuted. How many eating disorders have been linked to negative body images brought upon by unrealistic images of too perfect bodies? That goes for both girls and boys. The Media is no longer just harmless entertainment like it once was. It is a dangerous teacher that kids pay more attention to then their school teacher giving that English or Science lesson.
So the next time you turn on that radio, television, movie player stop and realize that what is saying does not just disappear. It does affect our way of thinking. The effects may not always be instantaneous but they can build up inside us little by little. Not everyone is gifted with the ability to not be swayed by these things. Even I who have seen and heard some of the worst that is has to offer and never been altered by it have found it sometimes difficult to keep my thoughts within my standards.
So whatever you do should it be unavoidable that you not be exposed to the ever increasing number of bad influences around us, remember who you are. You are not expected to be like that singer singing about that highly suggestive topic. You are free to make your own choices. The right ones.



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 48 comments.


JoeBiden said...
on Feb. 15 2021 at 11:38 am
JoeBiden, Washington, District Of Columbia
0 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
My fellow Americans, here's the deal!

My fellow Americans!

-President Biden

Sparaxis GOLD said...
on Jun. 18 2017 at 7:17 am
Sparaxis GOLD, Saint Marys, Georgia
13 articles 1 photo 307 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If you keep on picking on me, I'll mess up again. This time, on PURPOSE."

Amen, good sir. I wonder if we can change the entertainment industry for the morally better.

Liam said...
on Jun. 30 2015 at 5:49 pm
I have read this full article, and me being a 15 year old in Miami Florida, one of the most media influenced cities in the world, feel the same way as you do.

Reader said...
on Mar. 12 2015 at 3:44 pm
Though I agree with some of your claims, do you consider the fact that referring to "your school" poisons you outlook on the whole subject? I sense a load of hasty generalizations in your writing. For example, when you mention "So many girls are moral-less and just as much aggressors as the guys. At least that's how it is at my school." you make an assumptions just off of actions in your school alone. Maybe strengthen your argument more by using some sort of outside source but every time I see "my school" this or that. it doesn't persuade me into taking your side. Not to mention your claim on guys just wanting to “get laid” or a type of music being “ridiculously stupid” and mentioning your 18 years old kills your way of reasoning. Of course you are going to see things this way because you’re still so young and readers would assume this type of language out of you. Again, I agree on your subject completely and I myself am trying to bring this issue up for more readers to realize and as a fellow writer I want to help encourage and strengthen your argument. These hasty generalizations are always stuck to our thoughts so it is hard to break free from them to realize what is actually on the table. Best of luck with future writing!

Peace Maker said...
on Feb. 23 2015 at 11:51 pm
Dont worry bro your not alone i too see what and go through what you observed and i dont like it either

on Dec. 15 2014 at 9:49 am
dude i dont mean to be rude but arent you doing exactly what youre against. individuality does not exist since everyone is already technically conformed. but they are split in groups. the bad kids, the good kids, you are on that borderline because you are trying to make people conform to not conform which is conformity

HateMedia said...
on May. 23 2014 at 10:40 am
Today's world revolves solely around social media. It's power is beyond compare and we'll never be able to truly use it for good. Our society has been shifted many times but our media will always manipulate us like clay. It is difficult to understand why people do all these bad things to influence the society. We, are the new age, we have the power to change this world, let's do it guys!!

St. Anarch said...
on Mar. 4 2014 at 12:24 pm
This is Sad to see our generation, We live on sex and drugs. Why cant we be nice people that work hard instead of doped out druggess living off the goverment check. I'm 18, and all i hear about is "Oh i got so high and drunk" and im sitting their with ane-cig(that i only started a few months ago) Think about how much we have fallen. I lsiten to Screamo cause it does calm me, but never stuff about killing or murdering, That stuff is just useless and stupid. I do believe we are all free, but when we rely on someone else because of it then it becomes a problem. However this generation is built on inmoral behavior, we fight for no reason, and then expect to be rewarded. Why must we fight at all, or even look at eachother like jokes. People today just judge. I like all people, but you dont earn my respect unless you work hard and do right which most of our generation has forgotten. 

Doc Holiday said...
on Dec. 26 2013 at 6:33 am
Its sad to see this current generation of 12-25 year olds being so corrupted by what is force fed to them by the media. As a teenager in the 1990s we never had this rubbish. Most of us grew up sarcastic, despondent, apathetic yet peace loving. Yes you had that rap crap but it wasnt anywhere near as bad as it is now. we didnt really give a damn about anything. Now this current generation of Teens are perverted, violent, lack discipline and have no direction in life but to follow talentless attention seeking buffoons they see on TV/youtube or listen to on the radio . In the mid 90s we formed bands and played or own instruments, These days you have teens "rhyming" gibberish in the street with the music they get off there mobile phones. We had respect and at least only annoyed our neighbors with AIC, Nirvana, Bush, Supergrass and REM. Us teens in the 90s never randomly attacked people in the street, we didnt care how people looked. The girls Never Sold themselves without the risk of being labelled a slutbag and disrespected by all and sundry. You current generation of Teens need to rebel - Listen to bands that we listened to, rip your jeans, wear flannel grow your hair and shave it underneath, grow a beard/mowie, pick up a guitar and play it rather than a stupid peice of computer software....I wish you 12-25 year olds all the best.

miranda13045 said...
on Oct. 18 2012 at 12:39 pm
i really loved reading your article, it almost made me cry because oh how my friends are, and i try to help but it never works. so i really liked it, keep up the work

JoeM said...
on Jul. 12 2012 at 6:56 am

I am thrilled whenever I see one of today's kids actually "get it". I grew up in the 80s and back then it was common to see advertisements endorsing things that educated kids to stop drugs, casual sex, etc.

But at some point in the 90s, it all stopped. Was it a coincidence that Clinton was President at the time? No idea. But it's worth noting.

While GW Bush was in office things continued to get worse. It seems to me that the Internet was a major turning point towards the worst. Suddenly, barrier of entry (business) was dramatically decreased while competition skyrocketed. Now everyone is a walking billboard with something to sell. Businesses are no longer interested in helping our youth.

We have reduced our world to consumerism because of selfish greed to have everything we want. If the norms of society revolved around sacrifice and being more selfless, there would be less need for the useless junk that comprises over 80% of all business. And then maybe people would focus more on what's important.

They did so back in my day. Most people worked an honest job and raised a family. Material things were limited, therefore appreciated. Parents still loved and cared for children and with sacrifice. Now parents are materialistic, over-worked, and caught up in a social life. They can't keep their noses off Facebook long enough to give the kids what they want.

The best thing we can all do is toss our laptops into the garbage because we simply do not need them. The Internet has limited usefulness and is no place for children at all. OpenDNS should be mandatory on all computers. One parent should be at home full time. I am one of those and couldn't see it any other way. Raising a kid properly is a full time job. And it cannot be done by a daycare orgovernment school. Any parent who disagrees with this is unfit to be one.


whydrugs said...
on May. 17 2012 at 10:46 am
i am a middle schooler and i have friends in the 6 grade that smoke and addicted to.

aves14 said...
on Apr. 11 2012 at 9:45 pm
I am doing a social commentary project on something similar to this topic. My angle is more on how teens are being influenced by media, but that it is because they are choosing the wrong types to be influenced by. Nobody is naiive enough to think that throwing a rager like the one in "Project X" is a good idea, considering that the film ended with criminal charges. the teens just ignore the consequence part. Why dont they choose the movies that are meant (or should) to be copied to act upon? any thoughts?

OrenK PLATINUM said...
on Feb. 21 2012 at 6:32 pm
OrenK PLATINUM, Flushing, New York
21 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"My teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said happy. She said I didn't understand the assignment. I said she didn't understand life."- John Lennon

I'm really sorry for butting-in but don't you think Facebook is something that helps make the generation more corrupt?

Fluffy2772 said...
on Jan. 17 2012 at 4:25 pm
Fluffy2772, McDonough, Georgia
0 articles 0 photos 41 comments
He has the right to say what he wants as much as I have the right to state the exact opposite. It isn't disrespectful to disagree with someone, but it's very disrespectful to downplay someones lifestyle.

on Jan. 2 2012 at 9:43 am
AcrossTheUniverse BRONZE, Hondo, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Go confidentally in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've always imagined." -Thoreau

A heartfelt "Bravissimo" to WriterA.M. for his style of writing! Despite the fact that you have had little editing, you have created a masterpiece. Thank you for your Orwellian outlook on today's culture;I strongly agree with this article. I have been blessed with friends who agree with me most of the time. However, my closest friend, "Alaska," has a difficult stuggle with what the Media feeds this world. For a Creative Writing class, I wrote a first-person short story on a girl from 2053 America. She owns one piece of paper (stolen illegally) on which she vents her frustration for her world; I intended it to comment on today's issues, but my message was unsuccessful. Thank you again, WriterA.M., for being a hero.

on Jan. 2 2012 at 9:29 am
AcrossTheUniverse BRONZE, Hondo, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Go confidentally in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've always imagined." -Thoreau

There is supposed to be a certain code of ethics, at least in this country. If the article doesn't apply to you, shake it off. Everyone is entitled to her/his opinion.

TaurusGal GOLD said...
on Nov. 3 2011 at 4:26 am
TaurusGal GOLD, Hong Kong, Other
13 articles 25 photos 107 comments
I agree with the way you think. Just because everyone's doing it doesn't make it right. I myself don't have alot of friends too. Maybe I am just not the kind who likes to gossip and hurt other people's feelings. Furthermore, it so true that the media have given immense effects to teenagers. Even I myself have gone into the trap of Media, hoping to achieve that perfect slim body. It is so difficult to control my mind. At first, when you see some wrong messages, your reaction is like" Hey... This is so wrong, I am not going to do it." Then, when you see that message for many many times, it's quite possible you will be brainwashed. However, after reading your article, I definitely think we can stay strong and I will always read your article again when I am not sure.

Fluffy2772 said...
on Oct. 16 2011 at 12:37 pm
Fluffy2772, McDonough, Georgia
0 articles 0 photos 41 comments
How is that mean? He is attacking people of a different lifestyle in his paper. I think it's perfectly fine for him to respond that way. Just because you want to live your life a certain way doesn't mean that everyone who lives by different morals is lesser than you.

on Oct. 12 2011 at 7:38 am
bookwormishgirl PLATINUM, Merion, Pennsylvania
24 articles 16 photos 53 comments

FroBro, not only is that comment unhelpful, it's downright mean. WriterAM is expressing his opinion - it happens to be one I agree with, but even if I didn't, I still wouldn't treat him with that amount of disrespect.

 

In regards to WriterAM himself, way to be secure. You're an inspiration.