There are a few threads popping up by teen bloggers in which they are feeling a little bit bashed. One of the subjects on the thread of one of the posts, led me to blog on one of the biggest lies we tell teens: "These are the best years of your life".
Frankly, if I'd have thought the teen years were the best years of my life, I would have offed myself before the age of twenty. They're not the best years, and for a number of reasons. Most teens have not-quite adult minds; that is, they have all the intelligence and reasoning skills it takes to be adults, but they don't have the life experience (sorry, teens, I hate to break it to you, but life experience DOES count for something). Now, this is not true for ALL teens; I do know of a few who are working full time, paying all of their bills and still trying to be good students, and I commend those individuals for working very hard when the deck is stacked against them.
The majority of teens, though, have rather limited life experience and their knowledge consists largely of what they've been told (an example of this are some Christians who are still told that AIDS is God's punishment for homosexuals, who have yet to see the tragedy of children and babies infected with AIDS who aren't even old enough to CARE about their sexuality). When you add in life experience, there is much about your beliefs you will question. You won't necessarily come to a different conclusion, but you WILL question them.
Many teens are preparing to go on to college. In college, they will encounter a whole new world, and choices they never even considered. They may hold different opinions when they leave college, they may hold the same. But many will leave with a good deal more life experience and knowledge to firmly cement their position. And their position will change over the years; 10 years ago I was a dyed in the wool socialist. Now, after treks through the US Constitution Party and the Republican Party, I am a dyed in the wool Libertarian (I started out a Democrat; I voted for Dukakis in my first presidential election [hangs head]). I am pretty sure the LP is where I will remain; however, I have learned one can't speak in absolutes about their future.
So, blog on, JU teens. We respect and appreciate your posts, and we're glad you're here. Don't look at the bloggers that bash you; look at the bloggers who support you. Don't blindly believe everything an adult tells you, but don't disrespect us either.
signing off,
Gideon MacLeish