Simone: Youth & Society

Hello! I am Simone Carter. I am a junior journalism student at MSU. I love fashion,entertainment and most of all Rihanna. =)

[simonercarter-blog]

1. In this photo, I am using a tablet to browse the internet. I am a youth and this photo shows how technology can consume someone’s full attention

2. In this photo, the youth is consumed by three different types of technology. He is using his phone, laptop and headphones all at once. This is a form of multitasking in our culture.

3. In this photo, the person is using his laptop to work on homework. Although we use technology for fun and games, there are plenty of times we use it to be productive. 

4. In this photo, the youth is at a popular video game store. He is looking at games to purchase and play. This picture is significant to the topic because video gaming is one of the most popular forms of technology. This store is one of the main sources that people rely on for gaming.

5. In this photo, the youth are interacting while playing video games. It is a popular way for youth to engage in daily activity in society.

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Teen HYPE

Teen HYPE (Helping Youth by Providing Education) empowers urban teens to discover their true talents, interests and potential for a bright future. Using the principles of personal, peer and community, Teen HYPE molds the whole person while teaching young people that they have options.

This organization is located in Detroit, MI. Youth from the city of Detroit can join the organization. Anyone 13 years old and above can apply for the position of Peer Educator. This role will provide opportunities to open the mind, make new friends and enjoy positive ways to live. In addition to writing and acting in an annual community play, Peer Educators will plan and participate in service learning projects and attend field trips to speak at organizations throughout the Detroit area. 

In 2004, Teen HYPE started making an impact on teens throughout Detroit as the youth coalition Project SAVE. Through intensive in-school programming, parent education and collaborations with other community organizations, the early efforts led to:

A 14% increase in youth who intended to delay sexual activity.

A 38% increase in knowledge related to STDs.

76% of youth reporting feeling more confident in handling sexual pressure.

62% of parents reporting increased communication skills and comfort level when talking about sexuality with their teens.

Teen HYPE engages with the youth in many ways. They have different programs that youth can participate in. The engage in interventions, counseling, mentoring, sex education and organizing ways to uplift youth. 

One of the ways Teen HYPE does all of this is by promoting self-expression through the arts. Teens write and act in annual plays that relate to unsafe sex, teen pregnancy, addiction and other poignant topics. Other programs, some which take place during class time at Detroit schools, also raise awareness about sexual-health, drug abuse and unhealthy relationships. 

Check out more information on Teen HYPE at: 

http://www.teenhype.org/ 

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Interview Reflection

I enjoyed conducting my interview for the Heard and Seen essay. My topic for my interview was technology and I wanted to see how involved youth are in technology. They consume it and it one of the main aspects of society today. I met with my interviewee at his home for about a hour. I asked lots of questions. But before the interview even started, I got to see him interacting with technology. He was constantly checking his phone, which added to the point he was making.He responded to all of my question and even explained most of his answers. I learned that youth are not only involved with technology, but in love. We seem to not be able to live day to day without it. However, even though we are totally invested, we know that we have a life outside of the small screens. 

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A 15 year old boy with Down Syndrome was accused of attacking and beating an infant. The teen reportedly broke into the house where both of the parents were working and a 13 year old sibling was babysitting. 

This news story is an example of episodic framing. I think this because it is focusing on an event that involves individuals located at specific places and at specific times. The story does not have anything to do with broad societal forces.

I would re frame this story to make the teen seem less dangerous. Although what he did was wrong, he has a serious medical issue and should be under watch. The parents of the infant should also have someone more responsible watching their child. A early teenage is not a great option for babysitting a 9 month old. 

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Where are Ordinary Black Youth in Pop Culture? | Perspectives, What Matters Today | BillMoyers.com

While more often than not black youth is depicted as violent or ignorant. We see tv shows and movies about black kids and it is either about a super smart kid showing the world that we can be something amazing in life or it's about the hood, a black man showing that violence is necessary. While both of these happen within the black community, there are far more stories to tell. There are black youth that are like me who grew up in a middle class household and has never faced the violent streets. 

"Governing-through-crime policies also remind us that we live in an era that breaks young people, corrupts the notion of justice, and saturates the minute details of everyday life with the threat if not yet the reality of violence....Equally disturbing is how law-and-order policies and practices in the United States appear to take their cue from a past era of slavery. Studies have shown that “Arrests and police interactions… disproportionately affect low-income schools with large African-American and Latino populations,” paving the way for these youth to move almost effortlessly through what has been called the school-to-prison pipeline. Sadly, the next step one envisions for such a society is a reality TV franchise in which millions tune in to watch young kids being handcuffed, arrested, tried in the courts, and sent to juvenile detention centers. "

This a quote I found interesting from Giroux. I have seen many instances where tv or media breaks down the black youth and only show the bad. Not all of have this lifestyle but since it is what is perceived, we are forced to believe this must be reality for blacks.

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Why 30 is not the new 20...

                  The main point of the TED Talk lecture, Dr. Jay explains that our 20s are not a downtown time in our life to slow down. She explains that it is a critical period that eventually shapes us into our future self. How we treat our life now is a reflection of how we will act later on. If we continue to date jerks, we'll mold ourselves into a jerk lover. We can have fun now but we have to know that the decisions will last. I chose to respond to this piece because I am in my 20s and I still plan to progress in life. I don't want to use my 20 to only party. I want to find a potential husband, a career and start my life. This post related so much to me and the video was the most interesting of the weeks readings. I agreed with Dr. Jay when she said, people in their 20s can have an identity crisis. I see many people trying to be someone they're not. I also see many people trying out different lifestyles until they are happy. 

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This video is about the 2013 trends youth are facing in the workforce. The unemployment rate has been rapidly increasing throughout the year. This trend is global and it makes the job search harder. The intended message is that us as youth should wake up and see that a full time job isn't promised and we have to find a solution. This message is for the entire youth group. 

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In this picture, my younger brother and my boyfriend are playing video games. I think that picture explains that video games are important part of our generation's culture. It also shows that the age range for video games are getting younger. My brother began playing video games as young as five or six, while that was unheard of generations ago. 

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Are casual sexual experiences becoming normalized?

" 'Once, sex was something you did with your husband, then it was what you did with the person you love, and now it is more for recreational purposes.'...Older adults may be surprised by the idea of sex as "recreation" as if it were tennis or jogging. But many young people see relationships as too emotionally fraught, a dangerous world of feelings and closeness." 

-"Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled and More Miserable Than Ever Before" by Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D.

Sex has become something you do for fun on a normal basis. While people still enjoy the physical aspect of sex, I think that it has become more of something to do to say that you have done it. Sex is no longer something we save for the person we want to marry but it has become something we do to see who is good at it and who isn't. This quote explains this concept well because it shows the way sex has become more causal and normal. I see many of my peers engaging in more and more causal sex while my parents have instilled that I save sex for a person or a short list of people that deserve it. Sex until marriage isn't something that is realistic anymore but having a large number of sexual partners is. People are afraid of relationships because they are looked at as lame or weak, but also because in a relationship you are expected to stay faithful. With hooking up, you can have sex with whoever you want and maintain a cool reputation. 

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Krumping-

Krumping is a street dance popularized in the US that is characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement using the body. The youths who started krumping saw the dance as a way for them to escape gang life and to release anger, aggression and frustration positively, in a non-violent way. Krumping is an unique dance because of the way it is performed and how it is portrayed. The people that perform krumping use it to express creativity and self-identity. It is a part of the Hip Hop culture originating from the early 2000s. It comes from another dance called "Clowning" which was founded in the 90s. It is considered a subculture because it apart of the Hip Hop community but represents another side of what we always see on TV. It has active members and a following that is very strong. In mainstream culture, Krumping may not be as understood. It was looked as a "hood thing" until it was brought on TV and the internet. It has been featured in movies and popular dance shows such as "So You Think You Can Dance" and "America's Best Dance Crew". Although the dance can be seen all across the globe, it was originated in South Central, Los Angeles. Participants of this subculture appear to be African American, aging from adolescence to young adults. Either gender can participate however, the typical class is lower class individuals anyone can Krump, it has no rules or boundaries. It is just a dance meant to express your feelings. 

In the trailer above, the documentary "Rize" depicts the phenomenon of Krumping. 

[cblessett-blog]

Above listed are three tips for working between generations. Tips are provided for working with millennials such as mentoring, self teaching resources, and giving support to unique career paths.

http://www.mediaispower.com/generation-gap-millenial-baby-boomer-genx/#sthash.dIjPNtrZ.dpbs

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I find this post interesting because it shows a responsible way for different age groups to work together in the real world. Though older generations are on the top of the spectrum, it is important to remember that we will be the CEOs one day. If we all learn how to work together, it will solve a lot of what we may not understand about each other. Something that could have been included from the article was the descriptions of the current workforce generations and how we differ. 

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I expected my score to pretty high. I have a lot of qualities that the "average millennial" has.

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Why You Should Hire Millenniala. 

According to the info graphic and article on Forbes, a study shows that millennials are highly ambitious with a majority placing an importance on jobs with chances for career progression and personal growth. Social media is playing a huge role in the youth today. The study said hiring an employee who is active on Facebook greatly increases a company’s digital reach. This generation can multi task more than previous generations and get more work done in the workplace. Hiring the youth will show a huge increase in productivity and progression in companies. 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mattmiller/2012/07/03/why-you-should-be-hiring-millennials-infographic/ 

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It's interesting, then, to observe the effects of the Internet on society. On the Internet, there's no referee, and the rules that govern our interpersonal contact don't seem to hold much sway. With the anonymity provided by a screen name, people feel like they can say things they wouldn't otherwise say, things that may even be hurtful or dangerous.

What is Society? 

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Millennials grew up watching reality TV shows, most of which are basically documentaries about narcissists. Now they have trained themselves to be reality-TV-ready.

The Next Generation

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There is no time that is more self-focused than emerging adulthood.

Emerging Adulthood