Today’s Teens Compared with 1982:
A 30-Year Look How Teens Have Changed (And Not Changed) Over 30 Years The infographic contrasting 1982 and 2012 teenage society provides a convenient visual representation for drawing out the direct comparisons between two very different generations of teenagers. On the one hand, it allows for a nice juxtaposition of societal evolution over the past 30 years; on the other, it also highlights a few long-standing constants when it comes to teenage life and culture. We’re going to take a look at some of the main events, figures, and bizarre similarities (and differences) between these two snapshots of teenage culture.
Then and Now:
Music, Movies, and Video Games. In 1982, Olivia Newton-John and Queen ruled the music charts, and “E.T.” captured the hearts of moviegoers. Teens rocked out to vinyl and played “ColecoVision” video games. Fast forward to 2012, and Rihanna and Katy Perry rule the playlists. The “Twilight” saga has taken over, and video games are a pixelated frog’s throw from the PlayStation 3. But what seems a “no-brainer” evolution in entertainment holds a cost that today’s teens might be unaware of. Our entertainment has become far too complex, and we have ourselves to blame. We have become so insatiably preoccupied with that next immersive experience that we’ve thrown ourselves into a digital era of entertainment ecstasy.
Earning and spending the first few dollars are moments most Americans remember fondly. These moments mark the penultimate transition from dependence on parental financial support to the independence that comes with adulthood. And yet, when we think back to our own first jobs, the effortless quality of those nostalgic thoughts brings forth another on-the-edge-of-adulthood moment with a first, in any context, being a really big deal. And still, the moment made possible by money earned is one that’s loaded with life lessons learned in the process of earning it.
Vices and Virtues: Cigarettes and Weed
Thirty percent of people aged 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes in 1982. At the same time, 30% of people in that same age group reported using marijuana. By 2012, the percentage of teen cigarette smokers had dropped to 18, while the use of marijuana declined from the maximum to which it shot up in the late 1980s to a 20% usage in 2012. While the drop in cigarette use is commendable and certainly seems to reflect a better understanding among today’s teen about the risks associated with smoking, the persistence of marijuana use among our nation’s teens suggests something different.
In 1982, high school students dreamed of becoming engineers, business managers, and biological scientists. By 2012, their aspirations had moved a notch up in the hierarchy of health professions and education. Still, a sizable number of teenagers expect to make their livings with the “visual and performing arts.” And one way or another, almost everybody seems to be pushing these kids toward “higher education.” That’s a lot of apples in a lot of rosy pictures, but how healthy are those apples really? How realistic are the demands that society is making on kids to pursue these futures? If these numbers reflect the actual educational and career choices that the teenage set is making, are the choices themselves healthy ones?
The Landscape of Demographics and Diversity Is Changing. In 1980, 79.9% of teenagers identified as white, 11.6% as Black, and 6.3% as Hispanic. By 2008, those stats had changed drastically, with 54.9% identifying as white and 21.5% as Hispanic. Today’s classrooms reflect this incredible and more profound cultural shift, and they allow for an ever-broader cultural experience. This is one area of progress that’s undeniable. In your average classroom today, you’re likely to find a more culturally diverse body of students than was the case just a few decades ago.
Education and awareness have clearly increased among teens today about the use of contraceptives. Fifty-five percent of teens used some form of contraception during their first sexual encounter in 1980; in 2012, that number had grown to 81.5%. Still, these discussions are often avoided; it seems as if we are still stuck in some version of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” fantasy. Meanwhile, adolescence is sometimes a hypersexualized—not to mention a hyper-connected—period of life. It’s a Double-Edged Sword With Honesty and Responsibility on Both Sides.
