Final Reflection Paper and Mind Map
This mind map outlines the themes covered in this course as they relate to youth culture and identity. For instance, in our study of sexuality and gender roles, we learned that boys and girls are socialized toward specific gender norms by the toys that play with. For example, girls are socialized to focus on physical beauty when playing with Barbie dolls, and on domestic pursuits such as baking for her family in her Easy Bake Oven or caring for her baby doll, while boys are taught to be rough, tough and brave like GI Joe and to pursue careers such as engineering, as encouraged by Legos and Erector sets whose ads clearly target boys. We also learned that girls have historically been taught by parents and by the media to be passive in relationships and to be nurturing and supportive and that they should not be sexually aggressive.
Regarding the history of youth rebellion in America, we discovered that youth who often feel oppressed by adults and powerless to change things, particularly ethnic or racial minorities, will rebel and protest through their style of dress or music. This form of rebellion allows them to break free from norms and expectations and to express themselves and gain control and power over their lives. This practice of wearing clothing and hair styles that drastically differ from their parents, and listening to different styles of music still occurs today and serves as a way for youth to construct their own unique identity.
Our study of youth crisis focused on some of the ways that social scientists and authors of parenting books instill fear into parents and society as a whole in order to solicit their support in putting a stop to youth “crises”. For example, we learned that in the 1990’s scientists pushed the idea that teen behavior was neurologically driven and that being a teenager is a form of mental illness requiring treatment, to include mind-altering drugs. Other topics related to current teen crises in America are suicide, drug use, crime and obesity.
With regard to conformity and consumerism, we learned that there are some very deeply felt beliefs and norms that are interwoven into what it means to be an American, and that we largely expect everyone to conform to. We use various forms of media, and consumer products to help instill these values. Most notably, through children’s movies that are loaded with gender norms and expectations, racial and ethnic stereotypes and plots that emphasize the importance of capitalism, patriotism, religion and traditional American values.
In our readings and discussions related to youths and place, we learned the importance of belonging, especially among youth, and that many of our laws and policies create or encourage economic, racial and ethnic inequality which drives many oppressed groups to form subgroups such as youth gangs in order to belong and to gain some power. We also learned that the place and cultural environment in which children are raised plays a much greater role in forming lifelong cultural bonds and norms than a person’s ethnicity or country of origin.
We further found that youth behavior can be manipulated and driven by the expectations and assumptions that are placed on youth by their parents, teachers or other authority figures. For example, disenfranchised youth will often behave in accordance with their stereotypes or labels, placed on them by society, often based on race, gender or ethnicity, as a form of protest and to highlight societal and organizational deficiencies. The film Miss Representation also taught us that youth are heavily influenced by the media and that girls and women in particular, who rarely see female role models in politics or in positions of power, and who are regularly portrayed as the “weaker” sex, will internalize those stereotypes, which will, in-turn, limit their opportunities.
As we can see by this mind map, youth culture and especially identity is influenced by a myriad of societal pressures, coming from every angle. This often results in a push back by teens and young adults, that is often interpreted as rebellion, but that is, in reality, a desire to heard and respected and allowed the freedom to choose their own beliefs and to express themselves as an individual who has something unique to contribute, rather than simply becoming a clone of their parents or some ideal of what an “American” is supposed to be.
The material covered in this course has been very enlightening and will be particularly valuable to me as I pursue a career in law and social work, and will also be helpful on a personal level in raising children. Understanding what drives youth behavior, and some of the underlying causes, will help me to do a better job of working on the cause, rather than reacting to the behavior alone. Being more knowledgeable about the impact of the media in forming cultural norms and promoting racial, ethnic, and gender stereotypes, will also assist me in making better decisions regarding exposure and in discussing important topics rather than allowing the media, school and peers to be their only sources of information.
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