kaylaknitter

"if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough"

[kaylaknitter]

I chose to do my project on youth and technology and how previous generations don't understand our connection with it. In all of the pictures you will find people engaged in their cellphones instead of the people around them. Today's youth is constantly connected, whether it's via text or social media. Face to face communication without distractions is rare for today's youth. 

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Youth Activism in Action

Youth Against Poverty

http://youthagainstpoverty.com/

The purpose of this organization is for kids to help prevent poverty. The organization was started by a 17 year old named Shawn Esmalli in Cupertino, CA. He visited a orphanage and realized that he needed to do something to help kids that are homeless. Shawn  and his crew do most of their activisim via social media, asking for donations. He also goes to schools and places around his community to educate people on poverty and how big of an issue it is today. 

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Interview Reflection

The topic of my interview was technology. I interviewed my seven year old cousin and her best friend. They are both in 4th grade and have an iPad, iTouch and laptop. I am twenty one years old and just have a laptop, which I need for school and an iPhone. It amazes me how young people are interacting with technology so early in life. It's all they've ever known, they have grown up with the ever changing technology advances. I asked them both what they use their devices for. My cousin, Stephanie said she likes to play games on them and take pictures with them. She uses her iPad as a camera. Her friend, Lauren said that she likes to listen to music and watch YouTube videos on her devices. It is amazing that their parents let seven year olds handle such expensive equipment. I also asked them if the devices were the "familys" or their own. Stephanie said that the iTouch, Laptop and iPad were all hers. Lauren said that the iPad was a family device. 

The interview went exactly how I thought it would. I expected nothing less out of these girls. They are only seven, and technology is all they've ever known. I learned that the world is constantly changing and no two generations will ever be the same.

[kaylaknitter]

The War Against Youth

This article definitely is symbolic of the youth's relationship with society as Giroux views it. Stephen Marche, the author of this article, The War Against Youth mentions how everyone- the  political, judicial, and criminal justice systems are all against today's youth. In Giroux's article he mentions "There was the case of the 5-year-old girl in Florida who was put in handcuffs and taken to the local jail because she had a temper tantrum; or the 13-year-old girl in a Maryland school who was arrested for refusing to say the pledge of allegiance. Alexa Gonzales in New York was another student arrested by the poilce- for doodling on her desk." It is very obvious that there is an unofficial "War against Youth" happening in today's society. In previous generations, none of those "problems" would have been problems. They would have been handled completely different. This is unfair because today's youth shouldn't be handled any differently. The bill of rights and the 10 ammendments haven't changed.... so why is treatment changing?

This was a very interesting article and good read pertaining to this weeks material.

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Reframing Youth Culture

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arzu-kaya-uranli/america-is-discussing-is-_b_3588574.html

This article talks about how today's youth is a lost generation. The article mentions that the percentage of high school dropouts is  higher than ever, and even mentions that public school is the problem. Suicides are also higher than ever before with today's youth. The article also talks about how the labor market is depressing and tougher than ever for today's youth. 

I think that this article is thematic because although it gets into some detail,  it is overall  in a broad context. It doesn't break down the youth into subgroups, it just refers to youth as a whole. It also doesn't mention demographics of the youth that are "lost".

I would change the narration to more detailed and mention the demographics of the youth in the "lost" generation. 

[kaylaknitter]

Responsive Writing

Based on the readings  from this week, I think that this generation is NOT prepared to enter into “adulthood”. In Twenge’s article on page 216 it mentions that most employers don’t understand Generation Me. “The times that shaped GenMe’ers as children are very different from those experienced by older generations.” Generation Me grew up with internet, television and most importantly— social media. Non-Generation Me’ers are just now finally getting a grip on all of the evolving technology when us Generation Me’ers have been surrounded by it, and accoustom to it our entire lives.  Most of the time, employers don’t want to take the time to get to know Generation Me and don’t want to work around their lifestyles. Also in Twenge’s article on page 212, it talks about how they have the highest self-esteem of any generation, but also the most depression. I could personally agree 100% with that statement. When I go on social media, I get bombarded by mostly two types of images. One type being the “selfies” which Generation ME’ers post for more attention. Another type is endless concert photos, or simply pictures of Generation Me’ers having fun. When I look at these photos, I usually feel a sense of missing out.  It’s interesting because when you look at adult’s comments on the pictures of people at concerts, they genuinely wish that they are having a good time. While us Generation Me’ers think about how we could have and should have been there. There is just a huge gap between the generations causing adulthood to happen much later in life than previous generations. 

  I chose this article because it was the most interesting read for me. I really enjoy reading Twenge's critiques. 

[kaylaknitter]

Youth and Work

http://www.nber.org/chapters/c7869.pdf

what is the content about? This article talks about how today's youth is going to have the hardest time finding work. In today's society many youth are on the borderline of seeking a job or not seeking a job. Finding the time to balance schoolwork, social life and a job is tough. The intended message of this article is that today's youth will have a hard time entering the work force compared to previous generations. This message is applicable to youth as a group, because the article does not specify any sub groups. 

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Practice Shots

Here is a picture of some teenaged and early twenties kids at a Tigers game. These people don't appear to all be from the same social group. They look like they are in a tight knit group of friends, however they did mention that the guy on the far left just tagged along because they had an extra ticket. Youth in today's society like to attend sporting events to have a good time with their friends. Before I snapped this picture they were all playing on their phones... not watching the game. It's crazy how much technology is taking over youth lives today. 

[kaylaknitter]

What role does technology play in the ways youth engage in relationships?

What role does technology play in the ways youth engage in relationships? 

  According to a 2004 study of over 2,000 teens in Twenge's article, "those who watch TV with a lot of sexual content are twice as likely to engage in intercourse as those who watch less."  TV is just one technology form that is impacting youth relationships today.

Another technology medium that is affecting the ways youth engage in relationships is mobile applications. There are applications that are just for finding people to hook up with. Some examples of these Apps are Tinder and Bang With Friends. There is no age restriction on these apps so anybody could almost get on these apps and browse for partners to engage in sexual activity with. 

[kaylaknitter]

HIPSTERS

Hipsters originated in the 1940's during the Jazz age. Hipsters are usually young, middle class men and women who live in urban areas. Hipsters dress in clothing that is not "mainstream". They usually shop in boutiques or thrift shops, to ensure that nobody else will have what they buy. Their attitude is as independent as their style. They do not follow the latest trends. 

[kileyedwards6-blog]

[kaylaknitter]

It is crazy how competitive the job market is for post grads. The last thing I want to be doing post graduation is still working a minimum wage job. However I was surprised to see that 54% of students use twitter to find a job. I feel that LinkedIn is a more professional way to seek employment.

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http://www.unesco.org/new/typo3temp/pics/4cbed57214.jpg

It is shocking to me that so many children in today's youth are unable to read or count. I feel like their generation, especially with all of the technology, would learn faster than any of the previous generations.

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Emerging Adulthood Quote

"They tend to work in service jobs—restaurants, retail stores, and so on—unrelated to the work they expect to be doing in adulthood, and they tend to view their jobs not as occupational prepara- tion but as a way to obtain the money that will support an active leisure life—CDs, concert tickets, restaurant meals, clothes, cars, travel, and so on."

  This is so relevant to my life, so that is why I chose to include it on my page. I work in a restaurant, completely unrelated to Public Relations. I spend all of my money on concert tickets, clothes and meals. 

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The New Greatest Generation Time Magazine Quote

"In the U.S., Millennials are the children of baby boomers, who are also known as the ME Generation who then produced the ME ME ME Generation, whose selfishness technology has only exacerbated."