Adolescence and status

Adolescence is an extension of childhood, while at the same time it is the beginning of adulthood.

This stage in life, in particular, can create conflict in an individual's state of being, because for one, teenagers aren't given adult status, though biologically they basically are. Our culture however, grants adolescence certain adult status opportunities like driving and voting, while at the same time denied many others, which include drinking and whatnot. Because of this, along with other factors, it makes the stage of adolescence all the more confusing. It's hard to contemplate that even though, as adolescents, we are granted opportunities to obtain adult status, we can't legitimately claim that status. Maybe that could be why being an adolescent is so dramatic, why certain crimes are comitted; because we want to advance our status forward, and not be lingering between two realms, so to speak.

Status consumes the lives of teenagers, though some don't realize it. Today, teenagers are given alot of responsibilities, yet at the same time they're denied adult status, which for some, causes fights with parents and elders. This can have a big part in the development into adulthood. I think that it might actually slow the maturation process, because as teens, when denied adult status, it forces an indivdual to fall back to their age, instead of progressing. They'll be like kids longer than our society desires, because they didn't fully mature and they're still figuring out certain concepts well into their 20's.

Still, it does have to be this way. Because it does give us more time to figure things out, and to make silly mistakes and learn from them, and to sociologically mature. If we were to rush things as youngsters, we would be clueless adults, and we would be lacking certain skills we would usually obtain as teenagers.

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socialization blog 1

My parents realized I had a unique personality almost immediately, and I pretty much gave them the sign. When I was two or three, I told my mom that "you're not the boss of me" and she was shocked to say the least, and we both can't remember the whole scene and what had led me to say that. Another example of my difference signs was when I was six and me and my mom were walking in a mall, looking for my brother's birthday present, and we saw a a little girl crying behind her mother, who looked a little uptight; my mom leaned down and chuckled and whispered to me and told me that that little must have been acting like a brat, and I told her how do you know that, what if it's something else?- apparently I was different because i don't jump to conclusions. I don't want to have my parent's ignorance, and sometimes arrogance, and a habit I really don't ever want to have that they do is chewing like a cow, it's so annoying and obnoxious.

I think you have to study the behaviors of your parents nature and nurture to be different, I don't know how one can 'work agianst' those particular elements..is that even possible?

Infantilization culture (examples of Infantilization)

Once a person turns 18, they are considered by their culture as an adult. But they're still treated like children, despite their age and what that age symbolizes and represents to society. As and adult, certain privileges are granted, like the ability to vote, purchase cigarettes and pornography.

If you're old enough to smoke and buy porno, then why must infantilization continue occur? Some examples include a 18 year old student asking a teacher "may I go to the bathroom?" and wait for the teacher's answer, when we can just as easily say "hey, I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back." and teachers or other adults talking down to us like they would talk to a baby, and the worst..bedtimes. If I'm old enough to smoke and purchase items of adult content, and vote! then why should there be a set bedtime, I'll go to bed whenever I feel like it, if one is old enough to smoke or vote, then why can't that person choose the very time that they go to bed? Which leads to an all more important question: if I can vote, then why can't I make decisions for myself?

Seeing the water

To a fish, water is just water, its lived there it's whole life, it's unable to see factors that contribute to the behavior of other fish. Being a U.S citizen, I've grown accustomed to possessing

a lot of freedom. (I'm not sure if this is something we talked about, but it is based on actual experiences and encounters.) I never really thought America was all that great, to me it was what it was, nothing all that golden. Anyway, I met this girl one day who was foreign, and it was bizzare to her-that we had the opportunity of choice, and the power of voice. She was very timid, cautious, while I was the exact opposite. She came here from China. She saw America in a completely different light than I did, and she definitely appreciated things that I saw as simple, basic human liberties. It was as if I was a fish in water, and she was a scuba diver, analyzing every detail of an aquatic ecosystem, while I just floated there and swallowed water.

I'm not even sure how I navigate through modern culture, I just do my own things, and I never really bothered to adjust-behaviorally I mean. I think I can find my own happiness in my life currently and in the future.

I think that the one American value I really embrace is hard work. Doing nothing gets you nowhere in life, you cant walk through a maze when you're sitting down staring into space. Like in school, if I don't try I don't do good, or as good i should be doing, but if I do try, I know for a fact that I'll go far. Working hard is a way to truly find happiness, because it makes you appreciate things more than if you didn't.

The "Do Nothing Experiment"

I did recieve a few questioning/ awkward glances, and that was definitely expected. I stood in front of my house, frozen, and just observing people as they passed by.  The moms were huddled together on their driveways talking about their kids, and if this and that was normal, the usual mom talk. The guys across the street were playing some basketball, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. But what really got my attention was this one little boy, who, I'm guessing, was only in like the 7th grade. But anyway, he and this other kid who was about the same age were just standing on the driveway with their skateboards under their arms as another boy came up the driveway. And this is when the climax of the expieriment began. The three boys just started talking, and the boy who I was mainly focused on (the 7th grader), made a "get out of here" kind of gesture with his left hand, and the kid beside him started laughing, and pointed at the third boy, who stood there frozen for a second. After only a few short seconds of being laughed at, the third kid laughed to and got on his skateboard and showed off a few new tricks..but fell. The two main boys just started cracking up and went inside. 

      After a few minutes, the third boy left, while the other two came out with popsicles, finished them, and hopped on their boards. I stayed outside for another ten minutes, and they returned. Another boy who seemed to be coming from the main guy's(7th grader's) driveway. As soon as the boy past by the two "alpha males" he shouted " Hey [name]!"-talking to the 7th grade kid, who responded with a simple "sup" and chuckled a little bit as the boy had passed. He made it pretty obvious that he was the group leader, he was at the top of the pack, he was kinda like the "Sonny" of the group, except he was given both respect and fear.

A Bronx tale blog

Collogero is a part of many different, tightly knit groups; with one being his family and one being a part of a very dangerous and territorial gang. The gang is led by an older Italian man named Sonny, who is very distrustful. Collogero looks up to Sonny as a father almost, and because of that he kinda seems to drift away from his own father, who, at times, seems jealous of the strong bond his son shares with Sonny. 

   The majority of the gang members don't fight for power against Sonny, because they know very well what will happen to them if they do. Their weapons and their fancy suits are two major symbols of power, though just being one of Sonny's friends gives you alot of "respect" around town.  Collogero enjoys being treated nice, even though it's mostly out of fear- he gets money, protection etc. The gang is very protective of their turf, they're like animals almost, they have to check out this stranger, check to see if the guy doesn't mean any harm,eye him, and then just stand back and observe..and if that one guy decides to get reckless, he's going to get disciplined and kicked out of town.  The groups have a huge role in what happens in the town,

and seem to actually be running it. 

    

Freaks and geeks response

I have to agree with Otter, you don't really see divisions of power amoungst the various social groups. Though no struggle for power was ever expressed between two or more groups, what really happens, I think is more internal. What I mean by that is that the struggle for power usually occurs inside the group, though it is not often that this struggle for power to be physically expressed. It usually occurs indirectly or unconsciously. And even though there aren't any alot of physical symbols of power, you can easily make an assumption of someone's rankings based on how they carry themselves, how they walk, the gestures that the person makes and how they choose to execute, or perform those gestures, and how they act/ behave around other people-observe their body language. Also, bullying rarely comes to physical confrontation, these modern bullies tend to lean more towards emotional bullying, or sometimes more minor tactics such as teasing. Some people [including me] (at Stevenson) are friends with people from other social groups, or people who aren't from any legitimate social group, because all that matters is having something in common with another person. And because there's so many social groups, it can be hard to label oneself, and it also depends how many people you are friends with from these particular groups.

I really hope this made sense