Adolescence: Can We Do Without It?

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=140 BGCOLOR="#9966CC" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04100a20ezthtv.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kings Psychology Network"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     |     </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Papyrus" ><I><B>King's Psychology Network</B></I></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lessons, Case Studies HandoutsPsy 23123"><U>Lessons, Case Studies & Handouts-Psy 231-232</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Downloadable Adobe PDF Handouts"><U>Downloadable Adobe PDF Handouts</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id171.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Debate Guidelines"><U>Debate Guidelines</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id209.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ExaminationsPsy 231"><U>Examinations-Psy 231</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id156.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ExaminationsPsy232"><U>Examinations-Psy232</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Genetics, Conception Prenatal Developme"><U>Genetics, Conception & Prenatal Development: Discuss ion Guidelines</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prenatal Development: Fetal Brain Develo"><U>Prenatal Development: Fetal Brain Development</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Infancy Toddlerhood: Discussion Guidel"><U>Infancy & Toddlerhood:  Discussion Guidelines</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id203.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Toddler Friend Cael"><U>My Toddler Friend Cael</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id173.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ChildhoodHistorical Perspectives"><U>Childhood-Historical Perspectives</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id174.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Childhood Play"><U>Childhood Play</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id176.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Childhood Video Games"><U>Childhood & Video Games</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id129.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Childhood: Discussion Guidelines"><U>Childhood: Discussion Guidelines</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id218.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Indigo Children Adults"><U>Indigo Children & Adults</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id183.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AdolescenceOverview, History, Theories"><U>Adolescence-Overview, History, Theories</U></A>   |   <B>Adolescence: Can We Do Without It?</B>   |   <A HREF="id163.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Young Man Luther"><U>Young Man Luther</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id124.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mature Adulthood: My Friend Phyllis"><U>Mature Adulthood: My Friend Phyllis</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id125.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mature Adulthood: My Friend Bob"><U>Mature Adulthood: My Friend Bob</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id223.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Centenarians"><U>Centenarians</U></A></div> <div> <B>Adolescence: Can We Do Without It?</B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#CCFF66" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=340 BGCOLOR="#CCFF66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>COULD WE DO WITHOUT ADOLESCENCE</B></I><B>?</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Overview</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Adolescence is a recent developmental stage. Some societal changes and influences</div> <div> have lengthened this time period.  Adolescence emerged as a result of the industrial </div> <div> revolution and the resulting need to limit the number of people in the work force.</div> <div> It is reported that the requirement of more education is the surface manifestation of the underlying need to delay entry into the work force. With increased longevity, mandatory retirement is the corresponding effect on the other end of the life span.  So, could we do </div> <div> without adolescence?</div> <bR> <div> On the other hand, we live in a privileged society - one of the few that allow teens to </div> <div> have more free time and the luxury of an extended period called adolescence.</div> <bR> <div> Consider other not-so-contemporary quotes describing the characteristics of </div> <div> adolescents in earlier times:</div> <bR> <bR> <div> “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth </div> <div> of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words....When I was young, we were </div> <div> taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise</div> <div> and impatient of restraint.” —<I><B>Hesiod, 800 B.C.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> “The children now low luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of </div> <div> exercise.  Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households.  Thy no longer</div> <div> rise when elders enter the room.  They contradict their parents, chatter before company</div> <div> and tyrranize their teachers”.<I><B>–Socrates, 470-399 B.C.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> “The young people of today think of nothing but themselves.  They have no reverence for parents or old age; They are impatient of all restraint; They talk as if they alone know everything and what passes for wisdom in us is foolishness in them.  As for girls, they are foolish and immodest and unwomanly in speech, behavior and dress.” –<I><B>Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1083</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Discussion Questions</B></I></div> <bR> <div> What is your opinion about this?  Do we need adolescence?  How would society</div> <div>  need to change if there was no period of adolescence?  What would happen to</div> <div>  our society and to the group of people we call adolescents?</div> <bR> <div> Compare and contrast these views with a discussion, description and characteristics </div> <div> of adolescents  today.  What’s the same and what’s different? Are the issues different</div> <div> today?  Why, in your opinion?  What societal factors or changes contribute to the</div> <div> differences in issues today and the past? Describe what is it like to be a teen today </div> <div> in the 21st Century.</div> <bR> <div> Are there cultural variations and differences between teens?  What are they? </div> <div> Poll members of your group that may be from different cultures and ask them to</div> <div> provide an overview of their teen culture from their ethnic perspective.  What are</div> <div> the differences in cultures?  What are the similarities?</div> <bR> <div> Should we continue this developmental period?  Why?</div> <bR> <div> Speculate about how our society would change is teenagers were allowed to compete</div> <div> for jobs with adults on an equal basis. What would be the resulting effects?</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Related Link</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/A0095400.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.bartleby.com/61/54/A0095400.h"><U><B>Definition of Adolescent</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><U>Video Clip</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qto1R2-YSpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt"><U><B>Dr. Howard Bernstein on Adolescence</B></U></A></div> <div> Beloved scholar and educator Dr. Howard R. Bernstein died on Jan. 15, 2007. This is an excerpt from one of his final interviews. This is an early edit of a documentary about Dr. Bernstein's life, his academic career, and the lives he has touched in the classroom. Interviews with several generations of students in an attempt to explain Dr. Bernstein's uncommonly sucessful teaching methodology. Dr. Bernstein is battling terminal cancer. Directed by Eric Byler, former student of Dr. Bernstein's at Wesleyan University. </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Go to </B><A HREF="http://loudoun.nv.cc.va.us:8080/~PSY231_232" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://loudoun.nv.cc.va.us:8080/~PSY231_"><U><B>Web Board</B></U></A><B> to respond to this question.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>