Brain Top Off!

There is a growing concern about today’s youth, with newspapers highlighting the problems of binge drinking, rising numbers of unemployed frustrated with the world of work and even the issues surrounding donning a hoody. It is time for the youth to revolt against such stereotyping, as the concern far outweighs the problem. Still only a fairly tender age myself, I wondered if elder generations have always expressed concern regarding the behaviour of adolescents, and indeed it appears that they have. The key difference is the volume of media we intake fuelling underlying fears and increasing public perception of the problem. The concern regarding hoodies is particularly amusing, given that a particular item of clothing can be linked to deviant behaviour. I think I’d prefer a cape and top hat myself, were I to consider a career in shoplifting. I will freely admit that hoodies enable potential criminals to conceal their identity from the increasing number of CCTV cameras, but if it were not hoodies, it would be something else. To say that hoodies are a direct cause of delinquent behaviour is ludicrous, much like saying that the wearing of balaclavas leads to armed robbery.

Some of this misbehaviour can be regarded as amusing, such as the current preoccupation with setting off fire extinguishers. Pressure washers were the weapon of choice for two enthusiastic youths battling each other through the deserted estate. Despite having my sleep interrupted, this did still manage to raise a sly smile. A neighbour was displeased when his vehicle tracking system system was accidentally set off and people for miles around were warned of the vehicle’s impending theft. These kinds of high jinks have always gone on and are an integral part of the road to maturity, no matter how infuriating these may be for everyone else. The issue of binge drinking is a curious one. A past-time previously termed as “drinking” has been rebranded to invoke fear into the hearts of many, and making it sound appealing to the young and impressionable. Hell, it could even be a clever marketing ploy for Barcadi or Budweiser.

It’s important to remember many of us undergo changes as we progress to adulthood, enjoying times of immaturity and foolishness. Whilst we may chastise and punish, it is unfair to create a general feeling of disapproval towards the young. Even when they do pleasantly surprise us, such as the recent rise in exam results, the public sneers at them citing easier exams rather than more intelligent adolescents as the reason. Even though you might not comprehend their fascination for garish, baggying attire or obsession with collecting mobile phone accessories and using foreign terminology, it is important not to tar our youth with the same brush, and remember the moral panic the media creates in order to sell its particular medium. Reject the opinions subliminally forced unto you, and judge for yourself.

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