I was just surfing the internets just now and I came across this show called "16 and Pregnant" (*blaargh*). I remembered this 18 year old kid I used to work with last year at Subway (the sandwich shop). He seemed like a really typical high school kid. He was easygoing and seemed fairly intelligent. But I don't know if I can say that now. Recently, about a couple months ago, I saw on facetube that he had posted a status update saying, "trying to be a super husband and super dad." or something in that vein. For a second there I thought it was a mistaken identity on my part. Not that I have too many super dads and husbands in my friends list, but there had to be some mistake. This was that simple, wannabe gangsta kid who used to talk to me about my tattoo and went with me to see a movie once. I generally assume that if you agree to hang out with another guy on a weekend, you are like me; aka, lonely and not very social. I found it very hard to believe this kid had gotten married and had had a kid already (not necessarily in that order).
My only 'permanent' American friend, Stelton, and I have discussions about various American issues and generally he gets very entertained by my extreme (and funny) views on most things. He and I have agreed on this issue that teen pregnancy and kids having kids in America is partially responsible for the dismal education levels and the unusual behavior of kids here compared to kids in other countries. This kid who got a kid, is the typical example of what high school students here do. And in my opinion, shows like "16 and pregnant" help them think its normal. I haven't seen the show and I would rather have my brains removed through my nose before I am made to watch it. But the title is quite self-explanatory isn't it?
Now I will admit, I don't know how it is to have a girlfriend in high school; in fact, I don't really know how it is to have a girlfriend in any point in your life (by which I mean I have never had one). For one, I am not really good with any people for that matter, let alone girls. But that aside. It doesn't take a leap of imagination for me to put myself in that situation. I am almost 22 now. And the thought of having a kid even at this age is repulsive. I have no intention or inclination of starting a family for at least the better part of the next decade! When I was 16, I wanted to go out, hang out with friends, watch movies and drink the minuscule amounts of alcohol that we could stand at that age. And that's what teenage is about. Its not all legal and acceptable. But that's pretty normal. This, right here, is ridiculous! You can barely read and write or blow your nose without your parents help (paraphrasing my dad here) and you want to start a family? In fact, at 22, I know that I am highly highly ineligible to raise a child. And worse, you are letting a child grow up in an environment where his parents haven't even completed high school! This results in a generation of young people who grow up and elect George Bush twice!
Now, I only want to talk about the social aspect of this. I have strong opinions (when do I not have strong opinions?) about the religious and political aspect of it too, but I don't want to discuss politics here (Ron Paul 2012! No I am just kidding I don't like any current or former candidates, except maybe Obama). Also discussing politics and religion now will make this long blog even longer (maybe around 20 full size sheets). I just want to ask the teens in America, 'what is wrong with you?' If you think that having a girlfriend and 'falling in love' at 16 is all there is to life, as a person who has lived just 6 more years than you, I can tell you there is much more! Love and romance and family is so overrated and depicted in movies and TV that people are taking it way too seriously! Love hasn't and will probably never 'happen' to me (I am too cynical and misanthropic for that crock of shit!). And I am glad about that. There's many many other great things and emotions. You will want to experience and enjoy them while you are still young. Why would you want to be tied up with a child and its responsibilities? And if you truly care about your offspring, why would you let him live his formative years in a situation, where his parents themselves are still are figuring out their own lives and future? Act like teenagers do in most other places. Figure out your own life first before bringing another life into the world and accepting the responsibility to raise it!
My only 'permanent' American friend, Stelton, and I have discussions about various American issues and generally he gets very entertained by my extreme (and funny) views on most things. He and I have agreed on this issue that teen pregnancy and kids having kids in America is partially responsible for the dismal education levels and the unusual behavior of kids here compared to kids in other countries. This kid who got a kid, is the typical example of what high school students here do. And in my opinion, shows like "16 and pregnant" help them think its normal. I haven't seen the show and I would rather have my brains removed through my nose before I am made to watch it. But the title is quite self-explanatory isn't it?
Now I will admit, I don't know how it is to have a girlfriend in high school; in fact, I don't really know how it is to have a girlfriend in any point in your life (by which I mean I have never had one). For one, I am not really good with any people for that matter, let alone girls. But that aside. It doesn't take a leap of imagination for me to put myself in that situation. I am almost 22 now. And the thought of having a kid even at this age is repulsive. I have no intention or inclination of starting a family for at least the better part of the next decade! When I was 16, I wanted to go out, hang out with friends, watch movies and drink the minuscule amounts of alcohol that we could stand at that age. And that's what teenage is about. Its not all legal and acceptable. But that's pretty normal. This, right here, is ridiculous! You can barely read and write or blow your nose without your parents help (paraphrasing my dad here) and you want to start a family? In fact, at 22, I know that I am highly highly ineligible to raise a child. And worse, you are letting a child grow up in an environment where his parents haven't even completed high school! This results in a generation of young people who grow up and elect George Bush twice!
Now, I only want to talk about the social aspect of this. I have strong opinions (when do I not have strong opinions?) about the religious and political aspect of it too, but I don't want to discuss politics here (Ron Paul 2012! No I am just kidding I don't like any current or former candidates, except maybe Obama). Also discussing politics and religion now will make this long blog even longer (maybe around 20 full size sheets). I just want to ask the teens in America, 'what is wrong with you?' If you think that having a girlfriend and 'falling in love' at 16 is all there is to life, as a person who has lived just 6 more years than you, I can tell you there is much more! Love and romance and family is so overrated and depicted in movies and TV that people are taking it way too seriously! Love hasn't and will probably never 'happen' to me (I am too cynical and misanthropic for that crock of shit!). And I am glad about that. There's many many other great things and emotions. You will want to experience and enjoy them while you are still young. Why would you want to be tied up with a child and its responsibilities? And if you truly care about your offspring, why would you let him live his formative years in a situation, where his parents themselves are still are figuring out their own lives and future? Act like teenagers do in most other places. Figure out your own life first before bringing another life into the world and accepting the responsibility to raise it!
if you are old enough to have sex, you are old enough to know about birth control! Or maybe that's the problem, too much freedom n not enough knowledge!
ReplyDeleteBtw, i like how your blog is shaping up, but you still need to be more informed before you write posts. Older lady advice :)
btw why do feel i m not informed enough? i m not saying i know a lot about this...but still i m not uninformed...
Deleteexactly...i feel its not that these guys don't know about birth control...i feel that they dont care enough...they are too caught up in their recent surge of hormones to be careful...if i had talked about religion i would have quoted something i said to stelton about this issue, "you are not Catholic enough to have sex before marriage, but your Catholic enough to think that abortion is wrong and no one in the country should do it?" they say why should the unborn child suffer? well it is suffering either way isnt it? if he is born he has the pleasure of being raised by semi-religious redneck dumbasses!
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