Teen Chat: What Do You Think Of The World?
Ever since the world began to change, people have been talking. Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about what’s going on in the world, and I wanted to see what teens thought about our changing planet. Here are some general findings from my interviews with teens across the country:
- Teens know that they are being impacted by our changing environment - they may not always be able to see it yet, but they know things aren't right.
- They want more information; it's important for them to talk about what's happening in their lives so that we can all understand how different groups of people might be feeling.
- They want us to be more aware of the economic issues that are facing their generation and how those impact them.
- They want change, but they aren't sure what types of change need to take place.
- They are concerned about the type of political climate that will be impacting their lives going forward. And what is most striking is that teens feel involved in this world. They want to make a difference, and they want adults who care about them to do the same.
- Our teens are our future leaders; we know this, but I think sometimes it's easy for adults to forget or underestimate just how much impact those teens can have on our world. Our teens are smarter, better educated, more aware, and more determined than we give them credit for.
- They want the adults they look up to to be a part of the conversation going on in our world.
- The world needs to be shared and communicated better so that we can all understand how it's affecting us; this is how we make change.
- They're worried about teachers not knowing what's going on in their world, and that teachers aren't teaching them about these major changes in order to prepare them for what's coming down the road.
- They're worried about how the United States is handling these issues, and how that influences other countries.
- Our teens want changes in their government and the economy; they want change, but they aren't sure what that looks like or who it's going to benefit.
- They're worried about what's happening to the environment, but also about how that affects their individual lives and future generations.
- They are concerned about the way our culture is being influenced by pop culture and technology; things like music, video games, movies, etc...
- Teenagers should be taught more about environmental issues. Teens need information so that they can make informed decisions on whether or not certain products are worth buying.
- They are worried about how technology is impacting people’s lives.
- They are worried about how politics and government policy change, because it affects their day to day lives.
- They want us to be more aware of the different cultures present in our world; they want to know what's going on in the world, and most importantly, they want us to do something about it.
There you have it; a general summary of my interviews with teens across the country. This is only the beginning of the conversation we need to be having about our worlds. In the rest of this post, I will share some findings from my interviews with teens in California.
THE TOPIC: TEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR WORLD
- Teenagers know that the world is changing, and they have opinions on how to make it better. They see things like hurricanes and forest fires as a way to get adults' attention about these issues. But adults are not listening to them or doing enough - teens feel powerless.
- They're worried about our political climate, and understand that gridlock is keeping people from being helpful about our changing environment; they don't seem to trust the government to help solve these problems.
- They're worried about how technology is impacting teenagers' lives. Teens understand that technology can be used by politicians to influence people, and they don't know how to deal with that. Teens don't trust the government because of what they see on the news.
- Teens are worried about the way our culture is being influenced by pop culture; teenagers use social media, and believe the things they see on their feeds more than what's going on in reality.
- Teenagers need for us to be more aware of the different cultures present in our world; teens feel like their cultural values are being judged by adults. They feel overlooked yet unrepresented. They need adults to be aware of their needs and listen.
- Teens feel like their government is not doing enough for them. They feel like adults are going to ignore this generation because they are too young, so they have to do something about it themselves.
Here's a summary of my findings:
- Teens know that there's a problem in our world, and they want adults to start listening to them so that we can begin the conversation about how we can solve these problems together.
- They want to be involved in the conversation, and they want us to share with them what's going on in our world.
- They want us to stop judging each other because of their cultural beliefs.
- Teens need more information about the environment so that they know how they are being affected; they don't know how to tell when something is bad for them.
- Teens want to be involved in political issues and environmental concerns that affect themselves, their families and their friends.
- They believe that it's not only adults who are causing problems in our world - it's also the other teens around them - especially if those teens are influenced by social media or video games like Grand Theft Auto 5 .
- They want to be listened to, and they want us to acknowledge that the world has issues that we can't ignore.
- They want to be involved in what's going on in our world so that they can be prepared for what's coming next.
- They want adults to show them how our world works, and they need opportunities in order to learn more about it.
- They are worried about their future climate. Climate change could impact their future jobs and overall quality of life.
- Teens feel like major issues like climate change should be addressed by scientists who have studied environmental science and graduated from college, not just anyone who wants answers - including politicians or celebrities.
- They feel like politicians are using the environment to promote themselves, and that they aren't trying to solve these issues - they're only trying to get elected.
- They want adults to give more attention to the United States' relationship with countries that don't have as much political power. These countries need help too.
- Teens believe that if we keep acting like we are, then nothing will change in our world; but if we all work together, then a solution can be found for the problems we face.
The information I gathered from my interviews was varied and interesting; it was hard for me to choose which quotes were the most insightful or most important.
Conclusion
From these interviews, I was able to gather some very important data, but I wasn't able to get in-depth answers to all of the topics I wanted to ask about. My goal for this project is not only for you to read about the data I collected, but also for you to participate in a conversation with me and other adults around the world. We need to be talking more with the next generation so that they will be prepared for their future and ready to tackle this changing world.
Want more information like this? Part 2 of my report will be up shortly, so sign up for our newsletter at www.byemaureenclark.