My parents think that people my age are easily influenced. They always mention something about a boy shooting/stabbing/killing/mauling/harming etc. etc. because they saw it in a video game or on TV if I ever play a violent video game or listen to "secular" music or something. I honestly dont understand how they believe me acting out an ancient war or playing a first person shooter or listening to a rap song would give me the sudden desire to kill something or someone or rob someone as well. It makes me wonder if they actually trust me and believe in my sense of responsibility. And I dont think todays teens my age are influenced by things, they rather do things because of sociality. They want to look good in front of others, gain a reputation, a status, not because they actually think shooting or killing something/someone is cool. honestly I myself have done many things due to the desire for a high "status" (nothing as bad or nearly as bad as things mentioned above) and when I did do such things all thought and reasoning left me. This is perhaps what people call "influence". I think that people who actually desire and enjoy the entire violent thing are just insane and have a mental problem. Do any of you believe this? Please, I want to know if this is a common opinion among parents.
Do you believe teens are easily "influenced?"
- Thread starter Mags
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greenLED
Flashaholic
It's a sick society we live in. That doesn't mean there aren't good individuals in it. I believe you're one of those; keep at it.
It is hard to resist "influences" of all sorts when one is young. Not all of them are related to violence, unfortunately. It is a time for learning and experimentation, and it's also a time to build your responsibility and sense of self-direction. Overall, it's a time of discovery and that's why it's easy to follow "influences". Keep in mind that I grew up in another culture, and I notice with my son, that being a teen in today's US society is a different ballgame.
Here's a story for ya, from back when I was in highschool:
There's always "good" boys and "bad" boys. I was always a "good" boy :green: but somehow ended up hanging out with the "bad" boys (those who smoked, did drugs, had sex, etc.). Wait, was I really a "good" boy, or was I never caught doing something "bad"? :devil: I'm not telling.
Anyway, we're at this party one night, and the "bad" boys were smoking. I asked the baddest of the bad for a smoke. He looked at me and said something like: "Dude, you don't really want to smoke; it's a silly habit and it's bad for you. Think about why you want to smoke and go buy your own cigarrettes if you decide that's what you want to do; I won't give you any of mine."
The morale (I think): Even when surrounded by "bad" influences, you can find something good from which you can learn. It's about the choices you make and the actions you take. You will walk a fine line (all your life); gotta watch out where you set your feet. Oh, and sometimes, it'll be somebody else who'll snap you out of it.
The corolary: The guy who wouldn't share his smokes was one of my best buddies for years to come. I practically lived at his parents for almost a year, we shared a room for several years in college, he came to my wedding... Man, I miss the ol' *******!
Not sure why I told you this story.
I guess to illustrate that "influences" can be overcome, with the right spirit and the right company (or was it "bad" company giving me "bad" influence?).
It is hard to resist "influences" of all sorts when one is young. Not all of them are related to violence, unfortunately. It is a time for learning and experimentation, and it's also a time to build your responsibility and sense of self-direction. Overall, it's a time of discovery and that's why it's easy to follow "influences". Keep in mind that I grew up in another culture, and I notice with my son, that being a teen in today's US society is a different ballgame.
Here's a story for ya, from back when I was in highschool:
There's always "good" boys and "bad" boys. I was always a "good" boy :green: but somehow ended up hanging out with the "bad" boys (those who smoked, did drugs, had sex, etc.). Wait, was I really a "good" boy, or was I never caught doing something "bad"? :devil: I'm not telling.
Anyway, we're at this party one night, and the "bad" boys were smoking. I asked the baddest of the bad for a smoke. He looked at me and said something like: "Dude, you don't really want to smoke; it's a silly habit and it's bad for you. Think about why you want to smoke and go buy your own cigarrettes if you decide that's what you want to do; I won't give you any of mine."
The morale (I think): Even when surrounded by "bad" influences, you can find something good from which you can learn. It's about the choices you make and the actions you take. You will walk a fine line (all your life); gotta watch out where you set your feet. Oh, and sometimes, it'll be somebody else who'll snap you out of it.
The corolary: The guy who wouldn't share his smokes was one of my best buddies for years to come. I practically lived at his parents for almost a year, we shared a room for several years in college, he came to my wedding... Man, I miss the ol' *******!
Not sure why I told you this story.
I guess to illustrate that "influences" can be overcome, with the right spirit and the right company (or was it "bad" company giving me "bad" influence?). 
IsaacHayes
Flashlight Enthusiast
If you are a strong person then personally you don't have anything to worry about. But yes a lot of people are easily influenced, look at all the trends they follow. I think they follow others more than the trends. If you're not doing it you won't fit in ya know... Trends disgusted me and still do.
As far as the people who snap and kill people and blame it on video games, those people are seriously not right in the head in the first place. Viloent video games won't automattically make anyone who plays them go out on a shooting spree. Those that do snap, probably would have if they played video games or not. There is enough violence that you see on the news, AND in real life to give them plenty of evil ideas.
I also remeber something about a kid that thought he was super man and jumped off of something and broke his leg or something to that effect. Does that mean superman/superheros are going to make our youth jump to their death?
I've never smoked, don't want to. I thought people were stupid for doing and still make fun of them. "Why would you want to inhale smoke from something burning?" "Who came up with that great idea?" They say "it calms you down". I say "Or is it you are calmed down because you were fiending for a smoke?"
I kind of hung out with the stoner crowd because they listened to the same kind of music. I didn't do any of their after-school activities, but they were cool with that and didn't judge me like other groups in school. (very clique schools). Actually I hung out with several groups and didn't fit into any of them...
Out of school you see people doing stupid things that you never did and then sometimes think the reason you didn't do them is because you saw how stupid they looked when you were sitting there not participating.
Simple answer, I think it depends on the individual, and how strong willed they are, wiether or not they can think on their own, and how they were RAISED.
If you don't have some of those qualities, then you are more likely to follow what others around you do. If you do have those qualities, you may still participate in somethings but with-in reasonable limits and make smart decisions.
My 2 cents
As far as the people who snap and kill people and blame it on video games, those people are seriously not right in the head in the first place. Viloent video games won't automattically make anyone who plays them go out on a shooting spree. Those that do snap, probably would have if they played video games or not. There is enough violence that you see on the news, AND in real life to give them plenty of evil ideas.
I also remeber something about a kid that thought he was super man and jumped off of something and broke his leg or something to that effect. Does that mean superman/superheros are going to make our youth jump to their death?
I've never smoked, don't want to. I thought people were stupid for doing and still make fun of them. "Why would you want to inhale smoke from something burning?" "Who came up with that great idea?" They say "it calms you down". I say "Or is it you are calmed down because you were fiending for a smoke?"
I kind of hung out with the stoner crowd because they listened to the same kind of music. I didn't do any of their after-school activities, but they were cool with that and didn't judge me like other groups in school. (very clique schools). Actually I hung out with several groups and didn't fit into any of them...
Out of school you see people doing stupid things that you never did and then sometimes think the reason you didn't do them is because you saw how stupid they looked when you were sitting there not participating.
Simple answer, I think it depends on the individual, and how strong willed they are, wiether or not they can think on their own, and how they were RAISED.
If you don't have some of those qualities, then you are more likely to follow what others around you do. If you do have those qualities, you may still participate in somethings but with-in reasonable limits and make smart decisions.
My 2 cents
Diesel_Bomber
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Mags-
I don't know about the things that influence teens in general, but what goes for teens in general has nothing to do with you. Part of being an adult is choosing very carefully what you're going to let affect your decisions. Good luck.
Cheers. :buddies:
I don't know about the things that influence teens in general, but what goes for teens in general has nothing to do with you. Part of being an adult is choosing very carefully what you're going to let affect your decisions. Good luck.
Cheers. :buddies:
IlluminatingBikr
Flashlight Enthusiast
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- Feb 26, 2003
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I guess teens are more easily influenced with certain issues and in certain circumstances than others. For example, playing one violent video game really isn't going to affect you at all. However, being surrounded by friends who are all doing the same illegal activity might affect you to join in - even though you know it's wrong.
My parents have learned by experience that I can listen to "parental advisory" music without any adverse effects on my vocabulary or actions. Now, whenever I want to buy a parental advisory CD, it really isn't much of an issue, although it used to be a big discussion the first few times around.
If you can show your parents consistently that you are a good kid, and that that can't be changed, they will be more confident with you. However, they will always be somewhat skeptical due to constant reminders from the news, other parents, etc., but self-experience with you holds more weight than the 5-minute news segment on violent video games and their "horrendous effects" on our youth or another segment on MySpace and how it's just a "cesspool for pedophiles and stalkers."
My parents have learned by experience that I can listen to "parental advisory" music without any adverse effects on my vocabulary or actions. Now, whenever I want to buy a parental advisory CD, it really isn't much of an issue, although it used to be a big discussion the first few times around.
If you can show your parents consistently that you are a good kid, and that that can't be changed, they will be more confident with you. However, they will always be somewhat skeptical due to constant reminders from the news, other parents, etc., but self-experience with you holds more weight than the 5-minute news segment on violent video games and their "horrendous effects" on our youth or another segment on MySpace and how it's just a "cesspool for pedophiles and stalkers."
Teens are very impressionable, however it's not movies, music, or video games that does it, it's other teens. Mags, you're right on the money as to why. "All reasoning left you" is pretty apt. When you did "stuff" you weren't reasoning, it was instinct.
All other things being equal, (i.e. not suffering some major catastrophe like war, Katrina, debilitating disease or accident, or famine etc.) being a teenager is probably the toughest/worst and most stressful time in a humans life.
Essentially, you've got a body that's 100% geared up for mating, and all the instinctual and social behavior that pushes you to do it, and more intensely than it ever will again, but our cultural and societal norms are telling you that you shouldn't be having children for another five to ten years.
That's a huge discrepancy.
When all this comes to a head, acceptance is everything to a teen. What we call "peer pressure" is really just the overwhelming urge to be accepted by your peers. Humans, just like all group mammals, feel this urge to some degree or another our entire lives, as it's a survival trait, but it's never more intense than it is right after puberty. While we're much more independent than herd animals, we're not solitary hunters like sharks or crocodiles either.
Because of the new mating drive, puberty suddenly has your entire genetic future screaming at you subliminally to make sure that you are accepted by your "tribe" and to start searching for acceptable mates. If you fail at this task, are excluded, ostracized, or not dating (i.e. practice or "trial mating"), your biological side sets up warnings that you're at risk of becoming a genetic dead-end. From a purely physical standpoint, that's the entire purpose of your existence along with all other life on this planet.
It's just like the apes in a Jane Goodal documentary. The poor chimp that suddenly gets beat up and cast out of the troop to fend for itself in the jungle either has to find it's way back into the group, or find a new one. Otherwise, that chimp might as well be among the walking dead, and instinctively, they know it. It plays out differently for us, filtered through culture and societal custom, but it's there, none the less. We let things like the Internet, thousand-channel cable TV, forks, cars, and nuclear weapons distract us from that reality to our biological sides, but it's always there, just beneath the surface.
There's other contributing reasons to be sure, poor judgment, bad upbringing, "testing limits", and simple evil intent, but underlying every dumb, dangerous, or criminal thing that teens and young adults do comes of the need for acceptance by their group lest they get dealt out of the game of life and not pass on their genes.
The other, even more dangerous side, are teens who feel as though they arlready are ostricized and have nothing to lose. School shooters are probably the prime example of this. Most all of them feel as though they've been excluded by the larger group, they are in that "walking dead" category, and turn both suicidal and violent. The animal kingdom is full of examples of animals that have turned "rouge", such as lions, elephants, and certain monkeys. They've been expelled from the group, and it's common for these animals to be more violent and aggressive.
No one should mistake this as apologizing or dismissing such behavior. We all have our moral and intelectual side that should control these instincts. The fact that these urges and instincts exist, and are so powerful is not an excuse, because as humans our intelects are powerful too, which is the point of being human.
All other things being equal, (i.e. not suffering some major catastrophe like war, Katrina, debilitating disease or accident, or famine etc.) being a teenager is probably the toughest/worst and most stressful time in a humans life.
Essentially, you've got a body that's 100% geared up for mating, and all the instinctual and social behavior that pushes you to do it, and more intensely than it ever will again, but our cultural and societal norms are telling you that you shouldn't be having children for another five to ten years.
That's a huge discrepancy.
When all this comes to a head, acceptance is everything to a teen. What we call "peer pressure" is really just the overwhelming urge to be accepted by your peers. Humans, just like all group mammals, feel this urge to some degree or another our entire lives, as it's a survival trait, but it's never more intense than it is right after puberty. While we're much more independent than herd animals, we're not solitary hunters like sharks or crocodiles either.
Because of the new mating drive, puberty suddenly has your entire genetic future screaming at you subliminally to make sure that you are accepted by your "tribe" and to start searching for acceptable mates. If you fail at this task, are excluded, ostracized, or not dating (i.e. practice or "trial mating"), your biological side sets up warnings that you're at risk of becoming a genetic dead-end. From a purely physical standpoint, that's the entire purpose of your existence along with all other life on this planet.
It's just like the apes in a Jane Goodal documentary. The poor chimp that suddenly gets beat up and cast out of the troop to fend for itself in the jungle either has to find it's way back into the group, or find a new one. Otherwise, that chimp might as well be among the walking dead, and instinctively, they know it. It plays out differently for us, filtered through culture and societal custom, but it's there, none the less. We let things like the Internet, thousand-channel cable TV, forks, cars, and nuclear weapons distract us from that reality to our biological sides, but it's always there, just beneath the surface.
There's other contributing reasons to be sure, poor judgment, bad upbringing, "testing limits", and simple evil intent, but underlying every dumb, dangerous, or criminal thing that teens and young adults do comes of the need for acceptance by their group lest they get dealt out of the game of life and not pass on their genes.
The other, even more dangerous side, are teens who feel as though they arlready are ostricized and have nothing to lose. School shooters are probably the prime example of this. Most all of them feel as though they've been excluded by the larger group, they are in that "walking dead" category, and turn both suicidal and violent. The animal kingdom is full of examples of animals that have turned "rouge", such as lions, elephants, and certain monkeys. They've been expelled from the group, and it's common for these animals to be more violent and aggressive.
No one should mistake this as apologizing or dismissing such behavior. We all have our moral and intelectual side that should control these instincts. The fact that these urges and instincts exist, and are so powerful is not an excuse, because as humans our intelects are powerful too, which is the point of being human.
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carrot
Flashaholic
I think teens are definitely more susceptible to propaganda than older folk, given that they are not as jaded. But I don't think they are more easily influenced to do things by media. In fact, I think violent videogames are a better way to channel anger and aggression than... say, beating down on people.
Navck
Enlightened
Mags said:
Sounds like what Jack Thompson bases his theorys off of
I've played the Doom demo since I was 7
I played Return Fire when I was 5
Those were "violent" games at the time, and somewhat still "violent" now.
I still play violent M rated games
But do I go outside, see a kid skateboarding, leap at him with a rusty lead pipe, beat him to death, then eat his brains, and as the authoritys come - Scream "THE COMPUTER GAMES MADE ME DO IT!! THE GAMES MADE ME DO IT!"
Ofcourse not! The only people that do that are A - Insane enough to be put in an asylum, B - People who want to shift the blame of their killing onto something else!
I'm sick of people that are incapable of understanding simple things like this, then suddenly blaming something like TV, games, or even computers, the very things that make CPF function right now!
I've played violent videogames, and I don't have a bloody thirsty urge to kill anything, I can't see how anyone sane (Or mildly sane in my case) would run around trying to kill everything then say its a computer game's fault.
Then again - It might just be that these kids have parents that are irresponsable or even influencing them.
However, I can tell everyone is influenced by iPods and cellphones at my school. I can also tell you there are some religious fanaticals there, and the disturbing thing is, they're some form of a Christian (NO FLAMES INTENDED!) that belives in the crusades, but in a disturbing racist way. Theres also kids who will hunt me out just to try to break my arm because I don't "talk on a cellphone more than once a year".
Also - I'm considered a "reject" to most people, as explained above. I don't carry a cellphone 24/7 and talk on it 12 hours a day, nor do I belive in the latest "trendy fads" and talk in "st00pid sp3k d@t 3v3ry 0wan tlkz een". I'm also one of the few people in my school that likes classical over rap any day.
The problem with school shootings will come from dangerous minoritys with access to firearms.
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chimo
Flashlight Enthusiast
Google: "teenage brain: A work in progress"
There will be many links. Many of them will be similar.
The gist is that a teenage brain processes emotional informational differently and thus react differently than adults to similar situations.
For parents who have dealt with or are dealing with "difficult" teenagers this may provide some helpful insight.
Now, for your initial question: "are teens easily influenced". My response will be a generalization (applicable to many teenagers but not necessarily all): Yes.
Why "yes"? This is a simplified response, but here goes:
If you consider the breadth of responsibility and concerns that an adult has and compare it to that of a teen, you will see that the adult's is much wider. Each of these responsibilities each compete with "grey matter" time and often trade-offs must be made. Such as: should I put $500 toward a flashlight or mortage/investment/home repairs/etc.... Adults are more used to this continual balancing act because we have more experience at it. Compare it to a craftsman that takes years to perfect the trade, an artist or an athelete in training.
Now add the fact that teens are still in the social development period. The tremendous pressure felt by a teen to "fit in" makes him/her very susceptible to peer pressure. Whereas the teen may not be influenced by the latest videogame, that teen may feel pressure to play/acquire the latest videogame because his/her friends has it.
Feel free to substitute "smoking", "drugs", "alcohol", "violence" or "vandalism" in the example above.
Not having the life experience to put these issues into perspective, coupled with the different chemical processes in the teen brain make them susceptible to influence.
If you are a teen reading this recall the "generalization" disclaimer above.
There will be many links. Many of them will be similar.
The gist is that a teenage brain processes emotional informational differently and thus react differently than adults to similar situations.
For parents who have dealt with or are dealing with "difficult" teenagers this may provide some helpful insight.
Now, for your initial question: "are teens easily influenced". My response will be a generalization (applicable to many teenagers but not necessarily all): Yes.
Why "yes"? This is a simplified response, but here goes:
If you consider the breadth of responsibility and concerns that an adult has and compare it to that of a teen, you will see that the adult's is much wider. Each of these responsibilities each compete with "grey matter" time and often trade-offs must be made. Such as: should I put $500 toward a flashlight or mortage/investment/home repairs/etc.... Adults are more used to this continual balancing act because we have more experience at it. Compare it to a craftsman that takes years to perfect the trade, an artist or an athelete in training.
Now add the fact that teens are still in the social development period. The tremendous pressure felt by a teen to "fit in" makes him/her very susceptible to peer pressure. Whereas the teen may not be influenced by the latest videogame, that teen may feel pressure to play/acquire the latest videogame because his/her friends has it.
Feel free to substitute "smoking", "drugs", "alcohol", "violence" or "vandalism" in the example above.
Not having the life experience to put these issues into perspective, coupled with the different chemical processes in the teen brain make them susceptible to influence.
If you are a teen reading this recall the "generalization" disclaimer above.
turbodog
Flashaholic
I can personally speak about 1st person shooters.
This stuff can influence your reactive actions. It's no secret that the military uses it for training.
But, yes, I think that teens can and ARE influenced. What do you think all this advertising is for.
I'll leave with this quote from a "business ethics" book:
It is bad enough that advertising has the character of a loud,
persistent bully. What is worse is that often it is not directed
only at adults who might be capable of responding critically.
The concern about the effects of advertising on the vulnerable,
especially children, is not simply that many ads are so manipulative
that they trick the vulnerable into wanting things that they do
not need or which are not good for them. It is also that the implicit
content of ads gets absorbed by children, and habits are set up that
'carry forward' into their adult lives. The ways in which they habitually
perceive their lives and the social world, the alternatives they see as
open to them, and the standards they use to judge themselves and others,
are all shaped by advertising, perhaps without their ever being aware of it.
Lippke-"Advertising and the Social Conditions of Autonomy"
This stuff can influence your reactive actions. It's no secret that the military uses it for training.
But, yes, I think that teens can and ARE influenced. What do you think all this advertising is for.
I'll leave with this quote from a "business ethics" book:
It is bad enough that advertising has the character of a loud,
persistent bully. What is worse is that often it is not directed
only at adults who might be capable of responding critically.
The concern about the effects of advertising on the vulnerable,
especially children, is not simply that many ads are so manipulative
that they trick the vulnerable into wanting things that they do
not need or which are not good for them. It is also that the implicit
content of ads gets absorbed by children, and habits are set up that
'carry forward' into their adult lives. The ways in which they habitually
perceive their lives and the social world, the alternatives they see as
open to them, and the standards they use to judge themselves and others,
are all shaped by advertising, perhaps without their ever being aware of it.
Lippke-"Advertising and the Social Conditions of Autonomy"
Mags said:
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Navck
Enlightened
Strange, I'm an adolescent that doesn't react to them. However, I'm a minority being that I have Aspergers and act differently than I am "susposed" to at my age. Other than that, it just MIGHT be my cultural background and how I was raised in a socially isolated type of enviorment surrounded by many science books bow and mostly education related subjects.
bow and mostly education related subjects.
Flying Turtle
Flashaholic
Yes. I was certainly influenced by peer pressure, but just as much by parental expectations. Both drove me to not want to "screw up". As a parent about all we can do is set a good example and provide plenty of healthy outlets for our kids. As they say, idleness is the devil's workshop.
Geoff
Geoff
Personally I think that more than easily influenced, teens tend to suffer more from peer pressure, and from not wanting to be outdone.
Almost every single time one of my nephews have gotten into trouble it has been when they were with a crowd of kids and everyone got to bragging, daring, trying to outdo each other etc. Then when it came time to put up or shut up they did things they would never normally do just not to be see as backing down.
The same thing can be found in groups of men acting macho, especially when alcohol is present so never fear , one never completley grows out of it. And yes, I have done my share before growing old and wiser, and not liking broken bones etc. anymore.
Almost every single time one of my nephews have gotten into trouble it has been when they were with a crowd of kids and everyone got to bragging, daring, trying to outdo each other etc. Then when it came time to put up or shut up they did things they would never normally do just not to be see as backing down.
The same thing can be found in groups of men acting macho, especially when alcohol is present so never fear , one never completley grows out of it. And yes, I have done my share before growing old and wiser, and not liking broken bones etc. anymore.
magic79
Enlightened
"Children nowadays are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food and tyrannise their teachers. "
Socrates, 400 BC
Socrates, 400 BC
Nitro
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2004
- Messages
- 1,347
I seem to be more influenced now then when I was a teen...
But if CPF was around back then, I wouldn't be able to say that.
But if CPF was around back then, I wouldn't be able to say that.
geepondy
Flashlight Enthusiast
Mags, I think it all depends on the person just as it does now and for our parent's, grandparent's and generations before. Each generation has grown up with genre that was "bad" or "taboo". Violent video games? In my case I find it entertaining and never for once think it is more then just a game. I personally dislike the level of gore. I mean you shoot someone, they fall down, there really isn't a need to see the guts spattered around or the arm torn off. But that is me. Maybe it makes a difference with someone who has serious issues and is truly contemplating violent behavior, maybe it might be enough to put him over the edge but I'm willing to bet if it is, then if not the video game, something else will.
Anycase, you post intelligently and I hope your parent's are proud you are their son.
Anycase, you post intelligently and I hope your parent's are proud you are their son.
