Young adult literature gives a unique look into the generation of youth who read it. It shows with some idea how teens view the world, and feel the world views them. The especially popular books, seem to show a world that teen want to be a part of.
Like never-land, the minds of teens is often a place adults are not privy to, nor do they understand. The words, themes, and situations that are displayed and played out in today's books and media can be thought of as an idea of the youth mind. However ,many things displayed in today's media are twisted and far from the actual truth of the younger generation.
Today's media, television, with news and sitcoms, literature, books and newspaper, to everything on the internet, all of this creates an image of the American teenager, and who they are. This media creation is developed in the teenagers mind before they even know who they are, or the position the hold in the world and society. The age range of 12-19 are often trying to find a place in the world and are more easily influenced by media. They are often unable to look at media in a critical way.
While intending to create an interesting show, television has created biased and stereotypical roles that easily influenced teens. Television relies on stereotypes and tropes to create characters rather than flesh out an original character. Teens then find themselves trying to fit into these static character types. Following a mold that has no actual place or grounds in reality, teens are allowing televisions characters to warp their reality. Teens trying to fit in, a typical problem of youth, this is something made even worse with the negative and false tropes.
The images that media has been portraying about today's youth with stereotypes and negatives images has not only damaged teens own view of self but also just makes for bad television. The things that the older generation and younger view on television, even if they know it is exaggerated and false leaves a lasting impression. The self-involved and uncaring teen that parents see portrayed through media outlets only encourage parents and older generations negative stereotypes of young adults.
The idea of portrayal gets even worse when it comes to Instagram and Vine stars. These media character spend hours a day capturing the perfect videos or pictures of their days. These are often stages or just really fun shots. These moments are always perfect. These teens are seeing these wholly unrealistic images. This makes them think that their lives are not good enough. This use of media is unhealthy.
Not only does the media portrayal of teens affect the way adults look at them but it also has a similar effect on their peers. Teens become disgusted with what they see as being their generation. Normally, it would be easy to say that what people see on television or in books is not what teens or young adults are. However again thanks today's sources from social media to everything we see on the t.v. young adults are trying to become everything they see, read, or hear emulated today.
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