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Are teenagers of today really pressing the self-destruct button?

Dubai: As a teenager I keep hearing the gripe that today's younger generation is self-destructive. We are the future but it doesn't hold much promise if we cannot sort ourselves out. Gulf News surveyed teenagers to discover if this is true, and if so, why?

Fifteen-year-old Indian Divya Philip said: "Teenagers can be really self-absorbed because they try to promote themselves to make themselves feel better."

Canadian Maab Elhag, 14, said: "I definitely think that teenagers are overwhelmed and they enjoy themselves a bit too much."

Egyptian Malak Bayoumi, 15, added: "In this generation things like smoking and drinking have become a habit, and you don't really realise that it's wrong because you think everyone's doing it."

So, is it a case of everything goes because it appears to be the norm?

Aarushi Talwar, 15, felt it was a case of youngsters copying what they see in the media or socially.

She said: "Teenagers are way more exposed and get to know information about things at an early age."

Peer pressure

Others felt it was peer pressure forcing youngsters to behave badly.

Evelyn Dom, 15, from Belgium, said: "I think that there's a lot of stereotyping between the popular and the unpopular people. People are not themselves when they try to fit in."

Iranian Ali Fani, 16, felt it had to do with apathy.

He said: "They don't care about themselves and parents don't care as much either."

The lack of parental involvement was a recurring theme raised by several of the 11 pupils interviewed.

"Parents give teenagers too much money to use and that money isn't exactly for good purposes. It's not like it's hard to get stuff around here ... dokha [Iranian tobacco], cigarettes," Ali said.

"Control with teenagers is a rare thing because most of them push their limits," Indian Amala Janardhan, 15, said.

Amir Sami, 16, from Sudan, said: "Parents should know what's happening with their kids, not to the point they know every little thing, but also not to the point where they know nothing about them or what they're doing."

But then, there are also those families that try too hard to hold back their children or place a lot of emphasis on academic performance, according to some of those interviewed.

"When parents compare their children to other children, it increases pressure on them, and they turn to things like smoking and drinking just to get rid of stress," Indian Sarah Daud, 14, said.

Being a teenager isn't easy. With puberty, mood swings, nagging parents, not to mention school, it can be close to impossible to find balance. But does that mean you abandon your values just to be rid of the stresses of daily life? What will motivate teenagers to get back on track?

According to Vidhi Dal, a 15-year-old Indian pupil, the answer is shock. When they see the impact of negative actions on a person, that's when they wake up.

"When it's personal and you know the person it hits you in the face," she said.

"It's like a wake up call. Kind of like failing an exam and you finally realise that you have to study," added Chad Williams, a 16-year-old American.

It brings us back to the original question — is my generation selfish and corrupt? The answer is inconclusive, but we do have issues, especially as we are exposed to so much information. Teenagers cannot navigate this storm alone — parents must help guide our ships to port.


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