Hard Times Essay, Research Paper

Hard Times

All to often the headlines of the paper would shout out how more teenagers are getting in trouble with the law. Gang member gets shot, teenager is arrested for possession of narcotics, and homeless teenager goes to jail for stealing are just a few stories about teenagers today. Teenagers do not have it as easy as from years before. Today they are faced with so many more obstacles; no wonder they are getting into so much trouble. Not all teenagers have such a hard time in life, but the ratio from years before has risen. The changes in society are forcing teens out of their innocence.

As most people, teenagers just want to be accepted in the social world. Having friends and being liked is one of the most important things a teenager could want. They could want it so much that they are not selective enough in whom they hang out with. Needing to feel wanted is natural, but when it comes to being wanted by just anyone then it shows the teenager has low self-esteem. Teenagers, who join small-town street gangs just to have friends, end up breaking the law to be accepted. Many years before there were gangs too, but probably not nearly as many young teenagers were in them. Years before people were more conservative, which is why they may have watched TV for fun instead of graffiti. Today s society has singled out many teenagers so that they have to form their own individual groups of friends. In the older days, everyone knew each other and was friendly. Today a teenager whom gets a hello from an old lady would be considered out of the ordinary. The perception of teenagers is bad because of the few bad apples. The shut out from the community just forces the more vulnerable teenagers to join gangs. Teenagers who join gangs to feel wanted have to always be worrying if they would be shot today, instead if they will meet a pretty girl.

Along with gangs, drug dealers also rob teenagers of their innocent youth. These people would approach teenagers as young as 13 with tempting lines of having fun. Not knowing any better the drug dealers reel in susceptible teenagers and hook them with drugs that they will depend on. Years before society did not come out with so many variations of drugs, let alone give it to teenagers who most of us still consider as children. Young teenagers today who get hooked on drugs have such a hard time because they dependent on the drugs. When they need it bad, they would do almost anything to get more of it. Some teenagers would turn to prostitution, while others would sell to even younger children. Teenagers, who should be worrying about what they should be wearing to school the next day, instead, are worrying how they are going to find more drugs. Many years ago teenagers were thinking about the upcoming dance, and whom they hoped to marry in the future. Today teenagers wonder how they are going to get high at the next party. Money is so important to society that they are willing to rob teenagers of their youth by selling them drugs. Teenagers become depressed, and often have no will in going on with life after using drugs. If society would go back to the way it used to be then teenagers would not be sold drugs so unethically.

Besides drugs ruining teenagers lives, the unclose family life is also a big change from the older days. It used to be normal to have the whole family eat altogether at the dinner table every night. It still happens today but there are the exceptions, like the single father who is raising two girls because the mother has left. I believe family dinners, as what people of the past did, are good in keeping the family together. When teenagers can have a chance to talk to their parents each night about their day, the family can stay involved with each other. When family is involved with teenagers, many problems can be solved or even prevented. So many teenagers today have it so hard because their families are broken. It used to be unheard of for parents to have a divorce, and even more odd to have a stepfather while your biological father is still living near you. It is another part of life for teenagers today unlike the past.

The changes of society have forced teenagers to have a much harder time in life. Teenagers are supposed to enjoy being young and have fun. Unlike today teenagers of before thought about cotton candy and going to the movies in their new ride. Today teenagers worry about looking over their shoulder for a rival gang member out to kill them. Others worry how they are going to make money for the day to satisfy their drug addiction. While teenagers of the past worried about doing their homework, today s teenagers worry if their have the will to do their work because of family issues.