When I turn on old movies or television shows I see a big difference in the styles and behaviors of teens then and now. I find older people telling me that we kids have it easy compared to them. The way I see it, in my parents’ teen days - things were all about making statements. Now, it’s like all the statements have already been made! Therefore, the youths of today appeal to just taking those statements and upgrading and over-doing them. The media has played a big role in this movement, especially for young females. Today, the music videos, magazines, and television shows all set high standards for how women should be. As high as those standards are, they’re set pretty low as well.
For example, when you turn on MTV or BET you’ll hear all the rappers rapping about how many girls they get and how easy it is. Therefore , they’re sending out a message to the girls that if they want guys to like them, they should make it easier for the guy. Also, another issue that the media sugarcoats is accessive underage drinking, especially at parties. That is another factor that leads females to their promiscuity and highly decreases your lack of judgment. Although that sounds pretty bad, it’s looked at as being perfectly fine. In any music video at the top of the charts you’ll hear about having money, going to a party, getting drunk, and having sex. For example, Bottoms Up by Trey Songz, Fly Like A G6 by Ke$ha, and Yeah Yeah Yeah by Chris Brown- all fit the description perfectly. That is what we as teenagers are tuned into each and every day.
I like looking back at women like Missy Elliot and Erikah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Queen L’atifah because they weren’t about making points through their sex appeal. They really inspire me to be strong as a female and to put myself out there as being intelligent and in control rather than being put out for my sexuality. If I had a chance to tell the world something, I’d tell everyone that it’s time to get it together! That men should always protect and provide for the females just like females should love and nurture for their men. In broken down form, respect yourselves! Just because Lil Wayne has so much money and is cool doesn’t mean you have to make it all about getting paid . Niki Minaj might be every guy’s dream girl but that doesn’t mean you have to go change your body or try to be like anyone else but yourself. I’d speak out to tell people my age that you have to love yourself before anyone else can love you- no matter what the media says what’s not to love.
In all, Someday I’d like to be part of a program or company that can sponsor youths who just seem to have no hope in a future at all. Every day I see kids my age just dropping out of school and making dumb choices but nobody to help them get back on their feet. Most people don’t try to help people like that because it may seem almost hopeless to get someone to want to changes. As many different cases that there may be fore one to drop out of school, it all ends up the same way. That is being, much more struggles and a sense of failure. And in all, has really become a trend. As hopeless as it seems, I think that with the right dedication, anything is possible. That is what I would like to pursue to making it MY statement. I feel that that’s the kind of message that needs to get spread around to youth rather than messages to the youth about passing around the bottle. I haven’t put too much thought into it, but I know that no matter what I say, if I say it loud enough, it’s going to be heard. With the right practice, my voice will grow. With the right dedication, any dream can grow. I have the potential to influence a nation through media.