The kids are alright, right?

Notes for you folks: Hey there chaps and chapesses, just a quick foreword*

to say beforehand that while I’ve been lurking these grand forums for some time rather than posting in them, I’m a bit timid about putting this in the right place and everything, especially since I’ve brushed up on the recent e-politics of these parts. I deduced that this should go here and not in YF, and I'm not sure about the British politics thread. After all, I want international chitchat! Thanks for listening(?). This year’s Halloween Special, to reiterate, is certainly going to be very scary.

Anyway, this discussion is something that tends to sit on my mind like my cat sits on the newspaper when I’m trying to read it: young people, and the problems with them. Anecdotes: I’m in my early twenties, I don’t currently work regularly and I’m being supervised in regards to various personal issues. That sums me up in one voice and has connotations towards my thoughts here. Let’s say, generalised, it’s either a defence or an apology.

My situation also means I have lots of “free time”, so I’ll sometimes end up watching TV when I’ve watched all the films and read the books I have available. One time, I ended up watching the (imo) God-awful BBC 3 “young people’s channel”, the home of such classics as Freaky Eaters and Muslim Driving School. The programme I managed to catch was The World’s Strictest Parents, where two girls (one with ‘’very’’ noticeable anger problems, though she apparently “didn’t care” about anger management… rock on sister?) were shipped off to Sri Lanka to have to deal with a very wholesome and hard-working Buddhist family. An atmosphere where the lines were drawn certainly.

You can probably guess what the tone of it all was. One the way to the house, one girl mutters in despair, “I haven’t seen one decent car yet.”; the girls persist on smoking their cigarettes despite being told not to; they sulk alone in their room together, etc. amongst more highly-spontaneous cinema-verité material that would make Fred Wiseman blush.

Now, this wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t the connoted feelings projected weren’t also projected into the rest of my (British) culture. It’s like how you don’t care about the tabloids until you hear everyone agreeing with them, cementing some of the nastier stuff. That’s why I come to you fine specimens of multiple age groups for some opinions today: do you feel that the negative picture of western youths correlates with reality? This is where I was scared about posting this, because frankly, it’s probably down to experience. We all meet nasty pieces of work.

I live in a nice town, and admittedly I have a tremendously loving family. I’m certainly not ungrateful for anything I’ve been provided with, abstract or otherwise*

. Having these conditions I’ve somewhat familiarised myself with Britain’s student filmmaking, and student “politics” (air quotes necessary). Take this field: do they all drop fire extinguishers and associate with the mindless hardcore SWP charmers? Well, no. That’s a stupid question because for one, there’s a sizable Conservative youth. Okay then, perhaps the one-sided, perhaps ignorant, approach exhibited by Just Do It: A Tale of Modern-day Outlaws (described by Sight and Sound as a “cheerfully partisan backslapping exercise”) inadequately but helpfully sums it all up? Perhaps it’s the case. I’m not always one for research and I sometimes squirm away from debates. Actually that happens rather frequently. Boy is my face red! End of conversation.

But even so, I consider the outlook of many young people in Britain to at least extend beyond the cosy hidey-holes of the self. Take another “political” student film, this one being a look at the controversial “extreme porn act” entitled Hanging Perverts which is still leaning away from analysis (and is not a grand production) yet it exhibits a calmer sophistication (and humour almost) than the other example. Is there a case being made there? By students?

Maybe I’m just interested in… the topic.

There’s an article I read recently (which for the love of Hakuna Matata I can’t find now) where the instigators of the recent riot trouble (I’ll let someone tackle that – we’ll probably end up doing so anyway) were compared with “our Inbetweeners”, those being the real-life examples of the comically cringey Inbetweeners. The point was that British kids my age aren’t violent yobs. They’re masturbation-obsessed idiots. Maybe it’s just because not a fan of that show. I’m not satisfied with the alternative offered there either way. I’m still searching before I inevitably start setting up my Slacker or Clerks rip off.

It’s been on my mind a lot. I know that not many my age are truly “disadvantaged”. In Peter Biskind’s Down and Dirty Pictures, a story is related by a once-young filmmaker where Robert Altman told a class of hopefuls that they’d find it easier to get a picture deal than him, and he was almost certainly right at that (it being the ‘80s then also). Perhaps that’s why there’re a lot of hard feelings, the way things are made more available by comparison.

Ouch, that’s one Hell of a nasty assumption. I’m not even editing it just to show my train of thought or something. Anyway, thoughts, how’s my driving, and all that.

edited 29th Sep '11 9:51:40 AM by TheSollerodFascist

The negative depiction of youths definitely does not match reality, just something to get people riled up at the (insert issue someone wants you to hate). Yes there are some really screwed up people, but they are the exception and not the rule, in spite of what television would have you believe. Ever notice how the media never covers the typical person just living out their day? It's because the negative stuff gets attention and boosts ratings.

I can't really say anything else. You lost me with the British TV references, since I'm from the American Midwest and never saw those programs.

Byte Me

I think par tof this maybe where you grew up. Biritan has had a rowdy youth culture for over 50 years. I don't see any of this over here.

Plus, the UK has massive income equality problems too.

And, god I hate that show.

edited 29th Sep '11 6:52:32 PM by Erock

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

Does the depiction match? From my experience, yes, but not quite so exaggerated, and whether or not it's negative will vary depending on who is asked...

I am now known as Flyboy.

I have found the depiction of youths to be a mixed bag. Much like the populace is a mix of different people. Some are as depicted but they are oftent he exception.

Having done some student teaching and working in Public libararies you get to see a whole lot of different people.

Some of the kids were intelligent, polite, and well behaved. Some where a occasionally rowdy but overall well behaved. Some where little hellions that got banned from the library for lengthy amounts of time. Two brothers come to mind who had fist fights, threw shoes, there was an incident with them sneaking a open soda container in and trashing a book on loan from Creighton University.

As you have likely noticed the trouble makers, though far fewer in number then some would have you believe, have left a more lasting impression on our memories and minds.

Who watches the watchmen?

^ Oh yeah, totally. No one's to "blame" for that, it's just how we are. Similar to your example, my mother worked for years in a nursery and while it wasn't quite the Butterfly Room, the kids were (generally speaking) pleasant enough. And I don't just say that because my younger brother attended said nursery.

But the most vivid memories she has of her time there are certainly of the meaner kids... and of one confused little boy who did his business on the playroom carpet.

There is a practical difference between that though and having a more all-inclusive belief. With GIFT in mind, it's easy to look up responses to popular news stories about younger people and starting to think more concerned. Granted, the media delivery itself is usually a culprit: youngsters and seniors both tend to get dreadful (often outright condescending) coverage.

—-

^^^ Definitely. I played the British card a bit too much in my original post (like I said, it's really interesting to get multiple views and opinions as I've read here). I agree with you too, and while I don't want to get into a squarely political debate, it is quite galling that I've known higher-industry employees to get random massive payoffs even if the work of the relevant industry is slackening (examples I'm most aware of relate to the rail industry over here considering it's my Dad's turf).

Actually, come to think of it, here's something which possibly skirts the border between asking for an opinion (honestly!) and a "grinds my gears" moment: how many of you feel age is a primary factor when coing forward with an opinion? I mean, I remember my Dad once told me that me having a "teen annoyance" moment directed at a certain Mr. Bush reminded his younger years and his irritation with a certain Mr. Nixon. It's like, that was validated, it's not my resident country that we're talking about. When it comes to this country...

Well, that's why I like to learn about other countries. Countries... the irony being that I'm a Dirty Commie into Andre Gunder Frank. Oh my.

^^^^ Oh yeah, for sure. I only really brought up that BBC 3 example out of disbelief and to share the giggles. But there's still an allowance in there that assumes the behaviours on offer (this wording reminds me of a circus) are traits with ages and generations. Alternatively, with other types of "reality" television, the ground rule is general idiocy/oddity.

Maybe I set it up badly, but you don't really need to know the television name-dropping specifically. I will confirm though that Muslim Driving School is an actual show.

edited 30th Sep '11 12:01:40 PM by TheSollerodFascist