The Media’s Effect on Teenagers Today

Is the media really simply entertainment for the masses, and are they really ignorant to what they’re putting into the minds of teenagers around the world?

Lately I’ve been seeing more and more teens my age walking around, trying to duplicate what they see on TV, in magazines, and on the radio. I can’t help but think that this is not healthy for their minds, at all. I’m stuck watching these kids try more and more to be like what they see on TV, and it sickens me. I can’t count how many young women I’ve seen in Wal-Mart browsing the magazine stands with an envious look on their faces, as if they’d kill to look like those girls. Why do girls feel the need to look like this? Is it just because it’s society’s version of beautiful? If you don’t wear a size 2, you’re fat? That’s bullocks, in my opinion.

Now, here’s a few statistics that found when I was researching information about eating disorders: Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents; 95% of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25; 50% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight; 80% of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight

Is it just me, or are those numbers simply outrageous? So, why do you think so many young girls would want to lose weight so badly, that they’re willing to harm their bodies to do so? It’s because of the media. It’s because that’s what they see in those magazines, so that’s what they think they should look like. Don’t you think that a girl should just be comfortable with what she was given, and make the most of it? Yes, I understand the desire to lose extra weight, and look as best as you can. However, most of these girls aren’t even medically or unhealthily overweight. They just believe that because they don’t have the body types of those they watch on TV, that they’re ugly. I know, how crazy is that, eh? But it’s true.

Not everyone can look like a movie star. Not everyone can look like a model. But not everyone is meant to! We were given our unique characteristics for a reason. To add variety to the world. Imagine a world where everyone looked the same, dressed the same, talked the same. That world would be pretty dang boring, if you ask me. So why do so many continue to strive to be the same as everyone else? What is so wrong about being yourself, loving yourself as you are, and being happy with who you are? I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with it at all. I think it’d be great if everyone stopped caring about acting and looking like celebrities, and just started acting like themselves.

So, here’s another problem I find that the media isn’t exactly helping. Teenage sex, drug, and alcohol use. Have you listened to the radio lately? Not to be biased, but I hear it mainly in rap and hip-hop music. One day, when you’re in the car just driving, tune the radio to your local rap/hip-hop station, and really listen to the lyrics of the songs they play. It’s all about promiscuous sex, partying, doing drugs, drinking all the time, etc. Where do you think teenagers get the desire to do these things so much? Yes, it’s natural for a teen to want to try something that is forbidden to them. That’s human nature at its best.

However, lately, I’ve seen this taken to a whole new level. It’s not just because they want to defy “The Man”, it’s because that’s what they think is “cool”, or it’s what will get them into the crowd they want to be in. It’s pretty much the same thing with sex and drugs. They hear it on the radio, so they want to do it. They think it’ll make them “cool” or popular with the other kids at school. So many girls are losing their virginity at ages as young as 12, yes, you read correctly, T-W-E-L-V-E years old. Although, the average age for a girl to lose it is 16 – 17. Now, the 16 – 17 I can kind of understand, because the majority thereof happens on Prom Night. However, I’ve heard so many stories of girls giving it up between the ages of 12 – 15, because they thought they’d get accepted into another group of friends, or they thought it was okay because they hear about it on the radio all the time. Well, it’s not okay. A woman isn’t even fully developed until around the age of 19. And many don’t even realize the risk of having sexual interactions so young, or they do, but they think it would never happen to them. Ridiculous, huh? Yeah, I thought so too.

What I’m trying to get at is that, no, I don’t think the Media is all bad. I just hope that some people will read this and realize that the media isn’t real life. It’s not supposed to be real life. It’s supposed to be for entertainment and amusement. It’s not supposed to be taken literally and molded into your life, so that you lose your sense of self. It’s just a fairy tale, and that’s all. Your life is all you have; don’t let it go to waste by pretending to be who you’re not. Don’t allow yourself to do something you really don’t want to do, just because the media says it’s what’s in style. Just be yourself, that’s all anyone who really cares will ask of you. You think if you get plastic surgery to look like Angelina Jolie; that the paparazzi will be knocking on your door the next day with a movie contract? Not going to happen, you’ll just lose who you really are, then who will you be? Tell me that.

Statistics cited from: http://www.state.sc.us/dmh/anorexia/statistics.htm