Representation

I would like to focus on teenagers as a representative group and an issue would be peer pressure. The teenagers would be specifically discussing are high schoolers from 14 to 18 years old.  I feel that teeanagers in the media do not portray realistic delimas an average teenager would face. Demonstrating teenagers juggling school work, clubs, sports or work is hardly shown in films. People don't see how responsible the group can be. The media itself doesn't always portray how understandably stressed a teenager can get. The media gives teenagers negative stereotypes for certain social groups at school: the dumb jock, weak nerd or mean cheerleader. I want to show teenagers differently, as responsible, kind, not dramatic and how they take action in their community. I can do this by combining the social stereotypes: the cheerleader being smart or the quarterback being shy and not buffed up. For my issue, pressure is extremely evident for teenagers because there is a need to want to fit in and have people approve of you. Peer pressure is usually negative, teeangers usually face pressured to try illegal substances, E-cigs, cutting class and having sexual relations with others. Peer pressure can be harmful psychologically, mentally and emotionally when someone cares a lot about what to oher people think. Specifically for E-cigs there has been a sharp increase in teenagers vaping which is still harmful because the device has a lot of nicotine.
    A counter for my earlier argument is that teenagers can certainly be lazy, rebellious and self absorbed. Teenagers obviously do drink,  smoke, gossip and don't attend school. However it is unfair to only show teenagers in these categories because they are capable of much more. I would retain the representation characteristics of the teenager(s) overcoming something in their life. Something specific would be obtaining freedom for the first time or stopped caring what negative people thought of them. Overall I would love to portray teenagers dealing with problems such as growing uo and not just finding a significant other.
    In the movie “The Hate You Give” Starr Carter demonstrates her desire to make a change and be active in her community. Most films concerning teenagers focus on their lives and not what’s going on in the outside world. The media suggests teenagers are wrapped up in their own lives with their peers and not being responsible or taking action. Atypical is a show on Netflix about a teenager named Sam who is on the autism spectrum and is starting to enter the world more independently. He starts to experience dating, family issues and what is his plans for the future. The show goes in more depth about Sam having to pick a college and figuring out what he wants to do with his life. I feel that most movies or tv shows about high schoolers do not portray the fear of the future. Most focus on what is happening in the moment not long term for the character.