NationStates Jolt Archive

Who is the bigger threat to teens, education-wise?

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?

Or is it the fundies, who are extremely fierce and quite militant (not like Islamic suicide-bomber militant, but screaming-and-thumping-the-Bible militant), and say sex is evil because God said it was, andthe evolution never happened, or the Big Bang, which are plausible theories, and unintentionally misleads people?

Or would it be the Bush administration with their [insert conspiracy here]? Bad parenting?

And please, be aware that I am talking American teens, not anyone else. Not that anyone who lives outside the US doesn't exist, it's just that I wnt to know who everyone thinks the biggest threat to Americans teenagers is.

Both, but I think you have exagerated the threat from hollywood a bit.

Me

I don't think I exaggerated.

But I think it is Hollywood.:mp5: :sniper: :headbang: :mp5: :sniper:

what you define as threat?

In short Hollywood doesn't actively attempt to force people to do what they say. Fudies do.

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?

I missed those movies. Got a list?

Actually, the threat from hollywood was not exaggerated. The Bush administration, on an every day level, doesn't really affect teens, and bad parenting only does so much.

However, Hollyworld's infulence is everywhere these days. Drugstores, checkout lines, billboards, and pretty much everywhere else. WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT [random actor] SCREWED [random actress]??? It is carrying across a message that it's okay.

Heart disease isn't the number one killer, People Magazine is. Entertainment Tonight is.

I think it all comes down to bad parenting and culture. It started with the whole self-esteem and anti-child abuse movements. Not that I think you should 'abuse' your child, but it seems nowadays parents, especially Americans, are afraid to punish their children with little more than sending them to their rooms. I'd love to get sent to my room in this day and age. I've got my uber-computer and wireless internet access in there.

In the words of Russell Peters, "White folks please beat your kids." ;)
About Hollywood, that's part of the whole syndrome. The ones making the entertainment are those from older generations. With each successive generation there are fewer and fewer inhibitions. Our whole culture is warped. It's going to take more than banning violent movies/video games to remedy the problem. WE, the future parents, have to find some reason to become strict with our children again and emphasize decency. Decency? Like yuuuuuuuuuck.

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?

.


Why make all this nonsense up and then post it?

Stop defacing the forum.

Actually, the threat from hollywood was not exaggerated. The Bush administration, on an every day level, doesn't really affect teens, and bad parenting only does so much.

However, Hollyworld's infulence is everywhere these days. Drugstores, checkout lines, billboards, and pretty much everywhere else. WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT [random actor] SCREWED [random actress]??? It is carrying across a message that it's okay.

Heart disease isn't the number one killer, People Magazine is. Entertainment Tonight is.

Dude. Take your meds. When I was a teen (not that long ago, really) I liked movies, TV, and stuff, but I, and everyone I knew could see where the screen ended.

Irresponsible and uncaring parents who do not raise their kids properly, and neither teach them manners nor ethics.

Dude. Take your meds. When I was a teen (not that long ago, really) I liked movies, TV, and stuff, but I, and everyone I knew could see where the screen ended.

Well, yes I know, so did I.

However, because you see this stuff so much and everywhere nowadays, I'm not sure that people really know where the screen ends anymore.

And I don't take meds, so don't go off on that.

Actually, the threat from hollywood was not exaggerated. The Bush administration, on an every day level, doesn't really affect teens, and bad parenting only does so much.

However, Hollyworld's infulence is everywhere these days. Drugstores, checkout lines, billboards, and pretty much everywhere else. WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT [random actor] SCREWED [random actress]??? It is carrying across a message that it's okay.

Heart disease isn't the number one killer, People Magazine is. Entertainment Tonight is.

That is my point. You get a cookie! :D

In the words of Russell Peters, "White folks please beat your kids."
About Hollywood, that's part of the whole syndrome. The ones making the entertainment are those from older generations. With each successive generation there are fewer and fewer inhibitions. Our whole culture is warped. It's going to take more than banning violent movies/video games to remedy the problem. WE, the future parents, have to find some reason to become strict with our children again and emphasize decency. Decency?

Yes. AMEN!

Biggest threat to teens? How about a pop culture that values popularity more than education, conformity more than critical thinking, and instant gratification more than hard work.

Why make all this nonsense up and then post it?

Stop defacing the forum.

If you don't see all those idiotic entertainment magazines at the checkouts at your local grocery store, if you paid attention to the entertainment media, if you don't hear about what celebrities do/say at all, you either live in a cave, or you have been brainwashed.

If you don't see all those idiotic entertainment magazines at the checkouts at your local grocery store, if you paid attention to the entertainment media, if you don't hear about what celebrities do/say at all, you either live in a cave, or you have been brainwashed.


I either live in a cave or I have been brainwashed, eh?

Why make all this nonsense up and post it?

Stop defacing the forum.

Why make all this nonsense up and then post it?

Stop defacing the forum.

It ain't nonsense man. Anything-goes free-for-all American culture is all too real. I have to shield myself from it every day. Even in my own house I cringe every time I hear that American Idol theme song. :gundge:

Hollywood loves meaningless sex and dysfunctional relationships. The tabloids lick their teeth every time they get a new 'Bennifer' or 'Brangelina' type story.

It's just simply bad parenting. If your kids are being raised by the other choices, that is also bad parenting. Simplified and not taking into account the environment a family happens to be in.

Hollywood, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?
Don't forget Scientology. Hollywood loves Scientology. :D

Biggest threat to teens? How about a pop culture that values popularity more than education, conformity more than critical thinking, and instant gratification more than hard work.

Well, if your family doesn't care, then you want someone to, and wait, have we just identified the source of this culture? Heh.

Don't forget Scientology. Hollywood loves Scientology. :D

Ah, right. I didn't think about that. :headbang:

It ain't nonsense man. Anything-goes free-for-all American culture is all too real. I have to shield myself from it every day. Even in my own house I cringe every time I hear that American Idol theme song. :gundge:

Hollywood loves meaningless sex and dysfunctional relationships. The tabloids lick their teeth every time they get a new 'Bennifer' or 'Brangelina' type story.


Everyone has always loved "meaningless sex," why do you think prostitutes have always been so popular. Why do you think people drink?

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?
I'm either ignorant, or this is BS..
Or is it the fundies, who are extremely fierce and quite militant (not like Islamic suicide-bomber militant, but screaming-and-thumping-the-Bible militant), and say sex is evil because God said it was, andthe evolution never happened, or the Big Bang, which are plausible theories, and unintentionally misleads people?
They're putting fear and stress into the minds of young people, brain washing them to be ignorant and one-sided.
Or would it be the Bush administration with their [insert conspiracy here]?
Yes, because, like the fundies, they are one-sided. And no, because it's only temporary.. or something.. nevermind.
Bad parenting?
Possibly..
And please, be aware that I am talking American teens, not anyone else. Not that anyone who lives outside the US doesn't exist, it's just that I wnt to know who everyone thinks the biggest threat to Americans teenagers is.
I was going to say.. :p

Everyone has always loved "meaningless sex," why do you think prostitutes have always been so popular. Why do you think people drink?

I wouldn't say 'always'. Can you picture that kind of behavior in 17th century New England? Can you picture a show like Temptation Island where the main entertainment is watching people cheat on their boyfriends and girlfriends being accepted by a 1950s audience? And that's our point. That lately, teens have been getting out of control because no one, not their parents nor their society, are telling them that this sort of behavior is really bad.

Bad parenting and bad schools are two separate choices. It is possible to have one without the other.

I wouldn't say 'always'. Can you picture that kind of behavior in 17th century New England? Can you picture a show like Temptation Island where the main entertainment is watching people cheat on their boyfriends and girlfriends being accepted by a 1950s audience? And that's our point. That lately, teens have been getting out of control because no one, not their parents nor their society, are telling them that this sort of behavior is really bad.
Donatien Alphonse François, le Marquis de Sade [1] (June 2, 1740 – December 2, 1814) was a French aristocrat and writer of philosophy-laden and often violent pornography, as well as some strictly philosophical works. His is a philosophy of extreme freedom, unrestrained by ethics, religion or law, with the pursuit of personal pleasure being the highest principle. Much of his writing was done during the 29 years he was incarcerated. His reputation for sexual cruelty led to the term "sadism" being named after him.

His name is pronounced as [maʁki.də.sɑd] (IPA).

Yeah, it's pretty easy to imagine.

Who is the bigger threat to teens, education-wise?

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?

Or is it the fundies, who are extremely fierce and quite militant (not like Islamic suicide-bomber militant, but screaming-and-thumping-the-Bible militant), and say sex is evil because God said it was, andthe evolution never happened, or the Big Bang, which are plausible theories, and unintentionally misleads people?

Or would it be the Bush administration with their [insert conspiracy here]? Bad parenting?

And please, be aware that I am talking American teens, not anyone else. Not that anyone who lives outside the US doesn't exist, it's just that I wnt to know who everyone thinks the biggest threat to Americans teenagers is.

I think you're assuming an overly-simplistic one-to-one causal connection that just isn't there. I've never thought to myself while debating whether or not to have sex with a woman "What would the inhabitants of Us Weekly do?" I don't think many other men do either. I've never received a suspiciously harmless gunshot wound. Neither has anyone I know. I've never had the temptation to jump through a glass window. I've never been tempted to become a cop, a doctor, a prostitute, a crime lord, a secret agent, or a drug addict. I don't know kung-fu, and I don't plan to learn. In short, even though I watch lots of movies with sex, drugs, and violence in them, it seems to have little or no impact on my day-to-day existence. I'd suspect most other people would say about the same. As such, Hollywood really doesn't impact me, and I'd suspect that, at best, you are going to only have a minor correlation to behavior: more violent people may naturally like more violent cinema, but that doesn't mean that the cinema causes the violence.

I do think that fundamentalism has some disastrous consequences for people, but not in the sense of promoting violence. I simply think that fundamentalism's policy proposals are misguided and harmful. The world is not bettered by denying women Plan B, by denying children vaccinations to venereal diseases, by denying information and access to prophylactics. In that sense, fundamentalism is more harmful, but only because, unlike Hollywood, it has real impacts on the political process.

Much of his writing was done during the 29 years he was incarcerated.

You've proved my point. Writing that sort of stuff nowadays won't get you incarcerated. We don't need obscure French philosophers to do it anymore because it's everywhere.

I think you're assuming an overly-simplistic one-to-one causal connection that just isn't there. I've never thought to myself while debating whether or not to have sex with a woman "What would the inhabitants of Us Weekly do?" I don't think many other men do either. I've never received a suspiciously harmless gunshot wound. Neither has anyone I know. I've never had the temptation to jump through a glass window. I've never been tempted to become a cop, a doctor, a prostitute, a crime lord, a secret agent, or a drug addict. I don't know kung-fu, and I don't plan to learn. In short, even though I watch lots of movies with sex, drugs, and violence in them, it seems to have little or no impact on my day-to-day existence. I'd suspect most other people would say about the same. As such, Hollywood really doesn't impact me, and I'd suspect that, at best, you are going to only have a minor correlation to behavior: more violent people may naturally like more violent cinema, but that doesn't mean that the cinema causes the violence.

I do think that fundamentalism has some disastrous consequences for people, but not in the sense of promoting violence. I simply think that fundamentalism's policy proposals are misguided and harmful. The world is not bettered by denying women Plan B, by denying children vaccinations to venereal diseases, by denying information and access to prophylactics. In that sense, fundamentalism is more harmful, but only because, unlike Hollywood, it has real impacts on the political process.
Pretty much right on.

You've proved my point. Writing that sort of stuff nowadays won't get you incarcerated. We don't need obscure French philosophers to do it anymore because it's everywhere.
No, you miss the point. See, he shouldn't have been incarcerated. That kind of government is the bad guy.

As a teen, I think that the biggest threat our generation faces is the threat of the enviroment going to pieces, and us having to clean it up because some fucktards in other generations wont be bothered to get up off thier retired asses and clean the mess up. You are only here for about 30-40 more years, we're here for 70-80 more years.

Hollywood. I saw them hold a gun up to the poor boy's throat. What ruffians.

The lack of morals in modern society is the biggest threat.


Dude, I feel old just saying that. Guess I'll vote flying spaghetti monster to redeem meself.

Parenting. If the teens are weak-minded enough to be affected by the other things (including teh EBIL Hollywood :rolleyes: ), blame the parents.

No, you miss the point. See, he shouldn't have been incarcerated. That kind of government is the bad guy.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I am completely against government censorship, even of that sort of nasty literature. And that's why I voted for the option in the poll that places the blame on parents. We adults have a moral, not legal, responsibility to set good examples for kids. Otherwise we have to deal with the consequences - consequences like when I used to work at Build-a-Bear Workshop. This 4-year old girl was having a birthday party and she said she didn't want to hear the Build-a-Bear music. She gave us a Britney Spears CD to play and the she started dancing like Britney. No no no. :headbang:

On a second thought - maybe "gun-smilies" :sniper: :mp5: :gundge: ?

bad parents.

a good parent would equip their children with the skills to think for themselves and the child would have no problem wading through all the crap to find the truth.

A 15 year old may choose to speak or not to speak with their psychiatrist. A 15 year old may choose whether or not he/she takes their meds. A parent is threatened with an open file at Children's Services if they raise their hand to their kid, or lock their kid in their room. So why don't we lay the blame where it belongs, with the teenager, as opposed to blaming someone who society has all but rendered powerless, the parents? One of society's biggest problem in this day and age is everybody looks to blame somebody else. Jim Beam made me a drunk, McDonalds made me fat....bullshit. Whatever happened to personal accountability? We're not talking about kindergarteners, we're talking about young adults who are making a majority of their own decisions. They shouldn't be, but I never got to vote on that one. Parental rights have been stripped down, bit by bit, over the last 50 years. And, if you MUST blame somebody else, it wasn't the conservatives who did the stripping....look to the liberals.

In short Hollywood doesn't actively attempt to force people to do what they say. Fudies do.
Hollywood is America's underhanded, insidious vehicle for global cultural imperialism.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I am completely against government censorship, even of that sort of nasty literature. And that's why I voted for the option in the poll that places the blame on parents. We adults have a moral, not legal, responsibility to set good examples for kids. Otherwise we have to deal with the consequences - consequences like when I used to work at Build-a-Bear Workshop. This 4-year old girl was having a birthday party and she said she didn't want to hear the Build-a-Bear music. She gave us a Britney Spears CD to play and the she started dancing like Britney. No no no. :headbang:
"Have I succeeded, Constance? Will a tear in thy eye determine my triumph? After having read Justine, wilt say: "Oh, how these renderings of crime make me proud of my love for Virtue! How sublime does it appear through tears! How 'tis embellished by misfortunes !"

Oh, Constance! may these words but escape thy lips, and my labors shall be crowned."

Not having read many of the other posts, I think it's Hollywood. That's not to say that the others don't, but I think Hollywood and that stuff fuels other problems. I'd like to say that I haven't been affected, but I can't. And unless you were raised in a cabin in the middle of the woods with no contact with anyone outside of that little world, neither can you. In that case, you would be brought up with the ideas of the people that raised you. You are what you eat.
I hope I made sense.

I think you're assuming an overly-simplistic one-to-one causal connection that just isn't there. I've never thought to myself while debating whether or not to have sex with a woman "What would the inhabitants of Us Weekly do?" I don't think many other men do either. I've never received a suspiciously harmless gunshot wound. Neither has anyone I know. I've never had the temptation to jump through a glass window. I've never been tempted to become a cop, a doctor, a prostitute, a crime lord, a secret agent, or a drug addict. I don't know kung-fu, and I don't plan to learn. In short, even though I watch lots of movies with sex, drugs, and violence in them, it seems to have little or no impact on my day-to-day existence. I'd suspect most other people would say about the same. As such, Hollywood really doesn't impact me, and I'd suspect that, at best, you are going to only have a minor correlation to behavior: more violent people may naturally like more violent cinema, but that doesn't mean that the cinema causes the violence.

I do think that fundamentalism has some disastrous consequences for people, but not in the sense of promoting violence. I simply think that fundamentalism's policy proposals are misguided and harmful. The world is not bettered by denying women Plan B, by denying children vaccinations to venereal diseases, by denying information and access to prophylactics. In that sense, fundamentalism is more harmful, but only because, unlike Hollywood, it has real impacts on the political process.

I wasn't really talking about the political process. I was talking about teenagers. The media feeds on people's insecurities and twists them, telling them how to be cool (when really they're just being fake.) And trust me, teens pay A LOT of attention to Hollywood. No, we won't be tempted to jump out of glass windows in order to apprehend a top-class criminal, but what are we to say about school and sex? If you see any music videos, all they are is sex. If you watch some Disney movies, they are about people aspiring to become singers, so they quit school to sing. Any movie, TV show, or magazine is full of perfect people wearing the latest $500 trends. Any dissenters are considered "uncool," which, to the average teenager, can be quite devastating, as these people prey on teens' insecuirties.

Fundies don't do the exact same thing, but something quite like it. Fundamentalism is misguided and harmful, as you said, but in a way, so is Hollywood. What fundies do is a bit different from Hollywood- they say if you do this, you will go to Hell; quite a bit similar to what Hollywood does. and yes, fundamentalism is more harmful to the political process, but I was talking about teens here, and their education. The political process is quite glaringly negligent about teens, until it comes to censoring things.

Anyone whose life is dictated by what Hollywood says and does was doomed to fail from the start. I kind of grouped fundamentalists and bad parenting together for this poll. Ain't nothing like a smack in the face for worshipping the wrong god.

Ah, right. I didn't think about that. :headbang:
What's Kabbalah?

No, you miss the point. See, he shouldn't have been incarcerated. That kind of government is the bad guy.

...well, actually, he probably should have been incarcerated, but for the whole "sexually abusing and/or torturing unconsenting servants/prostitutes" thing rather than for writing Justine and Juliette. :p

Hollywood, which says meaningless sex with everyone in town is okay, which says dropping out of high school to pursue a singing/acting career is okay, which says to throw religion and morals out the window and party, which hates every religion except Kabbalah and literally lies to people?
Hollywood says that? I thought teens having sex were quickly slashed, or dismembered. Doesn't look like an endorsement to sex with everybody.

Plus Hollywood has no more power than parents do.

what, exactly, do you mean by "threat"? Are we talking what is going to make them fail school? Be isolated? Kill themselves? Not be "moral" humans (if we are to assume such a thing exists)?

The only thing on this list that is at all directly threatening to children is bad parenting. And I'm not even talking about poor parenting, but genuinely bad, abusive type parenting.

The rest are lame attempts at a panacea. "Oh, it is all hollywoods fault! That's right! I'm blameless for the fact that my kid is a fuckup! Damn those movies that I gave my kid money to go see before looking into it myself! No, it's the schools...After all, society mirrors schools, right? Or is that backwards........Won't someone think of the children?!"

The entire culture/society is to blame, and parents are the most directly responsible for that.

...well, actually, he probably should have been incarcerated, but for the whole "sexually abusing and/or torturing unconsenting servants/prostitutes" thing rather than for writing Justine and Juliette. :p
Well... alright. Granted. :p

What's Kabbalah?
Jewish Mysticism.

What's Kabbalah?

Madonna's religion. :p

Madonna's religion. :p
That's some obscure information, a big fan I take it?

That's some obscure information, a big fan I take it?
not really all that obscure, she pays big money into the religion and is pretty open about it......but you might have been being sarcastic right?;)