Sunday, May 21, 2017

Framing Youth

Bogad, "Framing Youth"

Quotations

"As adults we believe we know youth-we once were youth, and some of us share our daily lives with youth as teachers, parents and friends.  But to rely on that which we already know is to reproduce that which we already "know"(Bogad, 3).

     The technology and media that children and teens use influence their lives in both positive and negative ways.  Technology today is more versatile and assessable than 30-40 years ago and it is being introduced at a much younger age.  Cell phones, tablets and the internet are some of the first tools of media that children know how to use.  Toddlers now are showing parents and grandparents how to work their phones and download apps.  Many parents say "I was a kid too, I know what it is like".  In some ways that is true.  Every teen wants to feel like they belong no matter when they grew up but social media and other media platforms change the way teens now grow up.  This relates to the text "Framing Youth" by Bogad discussing the representation of adolescence relies on the normal social meaning.

"The cover photo of Holmes helps the consuming public recognize teenagers as a brooding sort, caught in flux between the innocent child in a floral sundress, and the seductive young women with pouty lips and a sparkling choker necklace" (Bogad, 5).

     This quote is a description of a magazine cover of Katie Holmes with an innocent but seductive womanly appeal about her leaving her life as a teen and entering adult life.  During this time, many young adults are caught in between keeping their teen life and moving into the adult world.  But the only difference is the age, nothing else is changing.  At this age, teens are still looked at as mysterious and misunderstood.  They still keep their life private but at the same time they are told to act like adults- which is difficult because they are not yet treated like adults but society.  The life of a teenager is difficult to understand because they are trying to figure out life for themselves but still in need of some guidance and support.

"If I am arguing here that the transition between 12 and 13 or between 19 and 20 is merely a socially constructed event shaped by discourses of "maturity", "transition" and "adolescence" how do we account for the actual experience of such transitions which I would say are significant moments for many people in American culture?  Does adolescence not feel "real" to adults and youth alike" (Bogad, 10)?

     Overall, experiences vary from person to person, environment, gender, class and sexuality.  There are some teenagers that have experienced more than others and some who have been sheltered most of their life.  The idea of being a becoming a teenagers is important in American culture.  I remember having my 13th birthday party and it being a big deal that I am now a teenager but looking back I was just another year older.  This also reminds me of each birthday when someone asks "How does it feel to be 14" And the truth is, it feels just the same as 13 and is going to be the same as 15.  The way adolescence are developing is different now than 30-40 years ago.  Children used to write in journals are diaries, now, they post on social media as an outlet.

One of the difficult things about being a teen is feeling like you have no one to share or explain yourself too.  Even if parents, family and friends are a positive aspect of your life it is important express yourself openly.
 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/12/readers-panel-whats-it-like-being-a-teenager-today


3 comments:

  1. I like the quotes you have picked I wanted to do quotes again, because I had so much to say, but I didn't want to repeat myself. I also like when you went into detail with each quote and what it meant for each.

    From Emily Twitchell

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  2. Lexi, I loved everything you had to say here, especially your last paragraph. I feel the same way, especially with the "how does it feel to be 14" comment. "Feeling older", if it even exists, isn't something that just happens overnight. Great post!

    -Bristol

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  3. Hi Lexi,
    I like the quotes you chose for your post. I also remember seeing every birthday as a significant event as a teen, but now looking back it does not mean as much. I also wonder if adolescents feel "real" to adults in this same context. I think one thing many can agree on is feeling like you don’t have no one to explain your inner feelings, and be yourself. I think teenagers are judged more than any age group. I agree with everything you mentioned, Great post!!

    -Leena

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