thebritishteenager-blog

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More and more British teenagers want to have plastic surgery

More and more British teenagers feel they need to change their appearance. Especially teenage girls tend to feel uncomfortable with their own bodies. Experts suspect that celebrity pressure is to blame. And indeed, celebrities with their ‘perfect’ bodies and ‘stunning’ faces give girls a feeling of being flawed, just because they might not look like Barbie. Social pressure isn’t helping, either. Many young people are being bullied because of their appearance, which enhances the drive to undergo plastic surgery. In one survey, one in two bullied UK teenagers said they wanted to change how they look. Half of them wanted to lose weight, one in five dreamed of having breast implants and 5% wanted Botox.

I was shocked when I read articles on this topic because it signalled to me that society has become so superficial that even its youngest members start thinking about such invasive treatments as plastic surgery.

What do you think? When are people mature enough to decide for or against plastic surgery? 

Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/womens-blog/2014/apr/28/cosmetic-surgery-and-teenagers-disaster-waiting-to-happen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4147961.stm

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/apr/16/bullied-teenagers-increasingly-want-to-have-cosmetic-surgery-says-survey

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Is YA fiction really becoming darker and obsessed with death?

“I often wonder how distanced the concept must seem to teenagers playing video games for hours, where immortality is guaranteed simply by pressing the reset button” (Wallis 2014). Many parents dislike the idea that their children read books which address the concept of death. However, death has been part of YA literature for a long time – even though under special circumstances, namely that only the evil one had to die, whereas details concerning how the villain dies have often been left out in order to keep death at a distance. Nowadays, death is far more realistically and explicitly described. For example, books like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green focus on the emotional disturbance and problems of the person affected when it comes to death. Moreover, books like 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher address the controversial topic of suicide.

Basically, two questions need to be asked. First of all: Are our (young) members of society able to cope with such themes? Sian Cain argues in his Guardian article that “sometimes [we] need reminding that reading about death does not make you want to die; likewise, reading about suicide does not condone suicide” (2014). Secondly: How can these literary products help young people to cope with death? According to Wallis, YA fiction does these three things:

> make young people feel connected to each other through talking about death in books (#YAsaves, etc.)

> create dialogue between generations (especially young adults and adults)

> fill the part religious faith has traditionally played in coping with death and reach an audience undetermined by religion

What do you think about YA fiction becoming darker?

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/may/11/ya-books-on-death-is-young-adult-fiction-becoming-too-dark

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/aug/18/death-important-young-adult-fiction-rupert-wallis

[thebritishteenager-blog]

English teenagers 'are most illiterate in the developed world', report claims

When I think of Great Britain, I also think of prestigious universities like Cambridge and Oxford. I was really surprised when I found an article in The Guardian claiming that British teenagers are among the least educated in the developed world. In a report, conducted by the OECD, British teenagers had the lowest literacy rates and second lowest numeracy rates. Even though the report paints a rather fatal picture of British teens, school reforms have already been ordered by the government. South Korea was ranked on top of the list.

I had a look at the comment section to this article and found an interesting response: the problem could be the English spelling system, which is less learner-friendly than for example Finnish or Korean. This person also argued that students who cannot read well also have problems in mathematics.

Is the English spelling system the real problem of British teenagers?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/english-teenagers-are-the-most-illiterate-in-the-developed-world-report-reveals-a6841166.html

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British teenagers' (dis)interest in politics

Over the course of the last two decades, the participation of young voters in elections held in Great Britain decreased more and more. Because of this withdrawal from the formal political process of voting, young people are often classified as apathetic towards politics. Yet a recent study conducted by Matt Henn and Nick Foard, published in 2014, found that teenagers across Great Britain are indeed interested in politics and they do have faith in the democratic process of voting, but the politicians are failing to connect to these young voters or encourage them to engage with politics.

It might sound like there is no difference across this generation; however, young people are not uniform in their political orientation. Education and socio-demographic background influence the shaping of political perspectives and outlooks. There is a gender difference, for example, as young men show more interest in politics than women and the longer young people stayed in full-time education the more engagement they show. Yet there is one point in which education and the socio-demographic background have nearly no influence: most young people show a dislike towards formal politicians and political parties as a lot of electoral promises are not kept after the party or politician wins the election.

While I was reading this article, I couldn’t stop myself from asking certain questions: Did politics change so much over the course of the last two decades or did young people become more critical? What can politicians do in order to get back the trust which they have lost? What needs to be done so that young people show more engagement with politics, as was the case in the years before this “recession”?

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13676261.2013.830704?needAccess=true

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Britain's teenagers are stressed, drink too much and think they're fat

Britain’s teenagers are stressed, drink too much and think they are fat, according to the results of a survey carried out by Dr Joanna Inchley from the University of St Andrews.

British teenagers have been compared with teenagers from 42 other countries and regions concerning school pressure, drinking alcohol and their physical state.

In my opinion, it is quite surprising that the percentage of girls drinking alcohol on a regular basis is higher than the percentage of boys. Among 15-year-olds in Scotland 11% of the girls and 16% of the boys drink alcohol at least once a week, which is quite shocking if we keep in mind the age limit for drinking alcohol in the UK.

Moreover, the results of the survey state that 73% of the girls and 52% of the boys feel too much pressured by school work. These percentages are far above the average across all countries.

However, not all figures gave rise to alarm. Personally, I would say it is quite positive that 71% of the girls and 84% of the boys say that they have a good life satisfaction.

In addition, there was another positive result in the survey. Both girls and boys say that they find it easy to talk to their mother, which is important (and doesn’t go without saying!) in the often problematic teenage phase.

Overall, it can be said that British teenagers are not unlike other teenagers around Europe concerning school problems, illegal drinking and family relations.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-s-teenagers-are-stressed-drink-too-much-and-think-they-re-fat-a6932431.html

[thebritishteenager-blog]

Foreign languages in school? No, thanks!

If we think about the Austrian education system, I am sure that we would all agree that there is a strong focus on foreign languages. After all, teaching of at least one foreign language is obligatory from the very beginning of elementary school. Besides, starting with secondary education, English becomes a compulsory main subject, and four years on, students have to choose a second modern foreign language next to English. Additionally, students can enrol for language electives and enjoy even more language education.

I dare say that most Austrian students take the great offer of language classes for granted; however, if we examine other countries’ education systems, it turns out that not all pupils are as privileged as Austrian students. For example, Britain seems to ignore the importance of foreign language teaching, as English students “are the only pupils in Europe who are allowed to drop foreign languages completely from their studies after the age of 14” (O’Driscoll 134). As a consequence, fewer than 10 % of teens over 16 choose to learn a foreign language (O’Driscoll 134).

According to my own experience and encounters with young British adults, I can confirm that many of them cannot speak any foreign language fluently, which can definitely be traced back to the British school system. Also, when talking with them about foreign languages in school, they were surprised about the situation in Austria since they had experienced quite the opposite in their own school history.

One argument I can think of for not adapting foreign languages in the British education system is that English is a world language, and therefore British people don’t actually have to use or learn another language… But wouldn’t it be of great benefit in a world of globalization and multiculturalism?

Sources:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremdsprachenunterricht#.C3.96sterreich

O’Driscoll, James. Britain for Learners of English. 2nd ed., Oxford UP,  2009. Print.

[thebritishteenager-blog]

What British Teens (Don’t) Read

It is hardly news that teenagers everywhere in Europe read less than they used to 20 years ago. Even though the hipster trend taught us to embrace our inner nerds, teenagers still seem to find reading rather uncool. Studies show that British kids appreciate books a lot when they are young; however, they read less and less for pleasure the older they get. And if they do, it's usually works that were originally created for a younger audience rather than more demanding material such as the classics. But seriously, if you had to decide between Harry Potter and War and Peace, which Harry Potter instalment would you read?

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/popularity-reading-declines-teen-years-312412 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3787721.stm http://www.bbc.com/news/education-21687156

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How teenagers’ drinking behaviour is influenced

Advertisements are very powerful and everyone is somehow affected by them. Alcohol advertisements on TV have an enormous influence on teenagers. The more exposure they have to such alcohol ads, the more alcohol they consume.

But not only alcohol ads have a considerable influence on teenagers. The biggest role in determining a teenager's decision to drink is played by their parents. If parents often drink in front of their children, they are more likely to start drinking at an early age.

Through specific guidelines, manufacturers limit alcohol ads to programs that have a mostly adult audience. However, some alcohol companies don't follow these guidelines since there's no penalty for violating them.

Should parents pay more attention to what their children watch on TV or should alcohol advertisements be more regulated?

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/09/07/health/kids-alcohol-ads-impact-underage-drinking/index.html

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-alcohol-movies-young-teens-habits.html

[thebritishteenager-blog]

When the popular British television series Skins was first aired on US-American television, it triggered many appalled outcries. The reason for this was the relatively uncensored portrayal of topics such as excessive partying, substance abuse, and sex; to many, these teenagers seem to live a hedonistic life. At the same time, the series also covers a great deal of other “taboos” such as eating disorders, violence or homophobia.

In response, many parents expressed their concerns that watching Skins is inappropriate for underage viewers since it might promote unwanted lifestyles. They would rather want to see a more toned down, harmless version: less alcohol, less drugs, less swearing – the list goes on.

The counter-argument holds that media products targeted to teenage audiences should not know any borders. Instead, taboos should be acknowledged and be openly tackled. These are topics that are relevant and should not be simply neglected.

The characters in Skins are not prim and proper teenagers living a glamorous life, fighting to achieve their dreams – no, but maybe this is a more realistic depiction of teenage life (with stylistic exaggerations).

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/cult-british-teen-drama-shocks-the-americans-2191258.html

https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2016/jan/05/censorship-taboos-limits-teen-ya-books

[thebritishteenager-blog]

Brexit: generation gap, anger and frustration

Statistically speaking, the Brexit results revealed a big generation gap within British society, with over-65s being more than twice as likely as under-25s to have voted to leave the EU. When confronted with such data, teenagers and young adults immediately voiced their deep, bitter disappointment on popular platforms such as Twitter, using the trending hashtags #notinmyname and #whathavewedone.

Something that I would like to point out here is that it was not only people aged 18-24 who blamed the so-called baby boomers for Brexit, but also (and perhaps mainly!) the 16- and 17-year-olds, who were particularly filled with anger for not having been allowed to vote in the poll. Considering how close the final results were (52-48 to Remain) and the large percentage of teens who would have voted if given the chance (75%, according to some estimates), one can easily relate to the sense of frustration these young people must have felt. Their participation could have made a big difference, possibly preventing older generations from deciding on something they won’t really have to deal with, or, at least, not to the same extent as those who are just about to enter adulthood.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-36619342

[thebritishteenager-blog]

UNDERAGE AND PREGNANT (?): MASSIVE DECREASE IN TEENAGE PREGNANCIES IN THE UK

For years, the UK had been known as the country with the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe and when thinking about teen mums, the first country to come to my mind has always been Great Britain. While doing some research on this topic, however, I found out that in the UK the rates of teenage pregnancy “have halved in the past two decades and are now at their lowest levels since record-keeping began in the late 1960s”. So while in 1998 the country still had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in western Europe – and that’s where my mental image of pregnant British teenagers probably comes from – the rates have continuously been going down over the last years, even though the decrease varies depending on the area.

Key to success was a 10-year-programme which is now being adapted by other countries and the WHO, hoping to also be able to reduce teenage pregnancy rates in other countries. The factors for the success of this programme were pretty simple: take a long period of time (10 years) and a comprehensive, multi-agency approach (focusing on working in schools and colleges with youth and social workers but also offering teenagers open spaces outside of school with nonjudgmental staff) and provide young people with an easy access to contraception and education programmes and the teenage pregnancy rates will go down.

However, when reading about the success of this programme one question still kept bustling about my mind: Why did the pregnancy rate get that high in the UK in the first place? And, comparing Britain to Austria: why do you think has the teenage pregnancy rate in Austria always been comparatively low? What role might religion, conservative values, and/or sex education play?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/24/england-teenage-pregnancy-strategy-global-blueprint

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jul/18/how-uk-halved-teenage-pregnancy-rate-public-health-strategy

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Clean eating trend

Mental health experts are warning of the risks of the increasingly popular “clean eating” dietary trend, which is leaving a growing number of teenagers very thin and even at risk of dying when taken to extremes. (The Guardian) 

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Do Pressure and High Expectations Harm Teenagers' Mental Well-Being?

The challenges British teenagers face seem to be manifold. On the one hand, there is a kind of social pressure to constantly communicate, be merry, and go to parties, which is exacerbated by the constant stream of information from social media.

On the other hand, I remember learning about how important getting into a good university, a public vs. a state school, is in the UK. With all of this in mind, I started looking for some articles and I was shocked by the wealth of articles on mental illness of teens becoming more common. 

One possible cause that is often mentioned is the pressure caused by the education system and unreasonable expectations of success. Every child is raised with expectations of finishing their studies in a well-known university. As a result, an increasing number of children cave in under the pressure and show signs of mental illness, which is evident e.g. in the number of cases of self-harm.

Is the system of education which we find in the UK to be blamed for this?

Here are some of the articles I looked at:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/oct/14/our-children-are-paying-a-high-price-for-societys-vision-of-success

https://www.theguardian.com/social-care-network/2016/nov/30/growing-crisis-in-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-demands-action

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I’ve chosen this video clip because it’s short and sweet but shows the main problem social media causes in our society. Everyone feels the urge to have the “perfect life” or at least pretend to have one, especially on social media platforms. People are thinking about what to post on Instagram and how these pictures are received in order to look super cool, individual, creative, successful or rich. Instagram announced last year that it now has 14 million monthly active users in the UK. Were the number to be taken literally, it would mean almost one in five people in the UK had an Instagram account — however, many of those 14 million accounts are likely to come from businesses. I also found an interesting study about Instagram users, where 23% of people living in the UK said that they are using Instagram daily and 30% said that they plan their Instagram posts before taking a picture. I think that many people only do things so that they can then post a picture online in order to seem how they want to be seen. For example some people only go to the gym for a good selfie and not with the aim of staying fit.

Do you think that Instagram changes the way our world is seen?

http://blog.iconosquare.com/instagram-changing-way-people-see-world/

http://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-14-million-monthly-active-users-uk-2015-7?IR=T

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The Influence of TV on British Teenagers

These are two trailers for a British show called “Geordie Shore”. The Show was first aired in 2011 and is now in its 13th season and ongoing.

The show focuses on a group of young “Geordies” (a Nickname for people from an area in North-East England) that live together in an apartment. The main topics seem to be partying, sex, alcohol and relationship dramas.

I came across this TV show one or two years ago, when it was aired on German TV and somehow it got stuck in my mind. The excessive portrayal of alcohol, (bad) language and violence seemed rather shocking to me.

Actually, this show is a spin-off of the American “Jersey Shore”, but in my opinion, “Geordie Shore” seems even more excessive than its American counterpart. 

Now, what I wonder is if you think that shows like these have an influence on their teenage viewers?

Do you watch shows like these? What do you think about them?

[thebritishteenager-blog]

Teen Language: Swearing

After watching the first minutes of the TV series Skins I was really shocked. I didn’t know that the British swear THAT much. So, I started wondering if this is only the case in the series or if it’s really true. I searched many web sites and found out that parents in the UK have lots of worries about their kids because of their swearing. Moreover, I got somehow influenced by all this swearing that I started using some of these words more often.

What was your reaction while watching the series? 

Do Austrians also swear that much? 

What about yourself? 

Do you think swearing has become a part of culture/a part of youth language? 

http://jumpparents.co.uk/teens-and-swearing/

http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/heres-a-very-detailed-guide-to-british-profanity.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/08/14/teen-problems-swearing_n_7329992.html