There are a variety of different "groups" within the teenage society. When walking through a school, you can definitely see the variety of "groups" or personality's that hang out together. There's always the jocks, the populars, the nerds, the normals, etc. When they are portrayed in movies, they are always portrayed differently then we see in the real world. At my school, I know that yes, the popular people might be "cooler" or have more friends, but they are actually nice, and aren't rude towards people who might be less popular. In movies and TV shows the "popular" person is always portrayed to be rude, disrespectful and even "weirded out" by the people who are less popular, because it's seen as "uncool." When teens watch these movies and shows, they believe that that's the way to act towards people. There are a few "snobs" that do not have anything to do with people who are lower in status than them. It's actually quite sad because you can take a "normal" person, who still has lots of friends and put them all in a class together. You take one "popular" person and put them in a class with people "lower" than them, and what can they do about it. Nothing really. In that situation, they are "lower" because they don't have any friends in that class.
A GREAT example of a movie that stereotypes teenagers, is The Breakfast Club. When those five teenagers are put into detention together, you can definitely see how they differ. When teens watch movies like this they get the feeling that they must fit into one of those characters shoes. They may sit there and watch the movie and try to figure out, who in the movie they are supposed to be. In reality, they may not fit with any one of those characters but, the movie gives an example and five stereotypes that make teens believe that they MUST fit.
An example of TV show that stereotypes teenagers is The Life Of An American Teenager. In this show, a lot of what goes on has to deal with pregnancy. They stereotype that every teen out there is having sex, and not staying protected. The main character, who seems like a "good girl" gets pregnant, with a "popular guy" at band camp. It doesn't seem like something that would happen in real life. Yes, maybe there are some teens out there that are having sex, and maybe possibly getting pregnant, but its not like its a daily thing. TV shows that show teens getting pregnant and going to school, to continue getting education and having their parents deal with the fact their daughter is pregnant, can cause conflicts with real life teens. I do, however, feel that this show does do an AMAZING job related to teens lives. Sure, it does stereotype but, what show doesn't ? Pregnancy does occur and sometimes to people who you don't expect it to. I love to watch this show because it does in someway relate to my life. Not that I'm pregnant, but the stresses of teen lives is portrayed in this show, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular.
Teens television shows and movies do have an influence on the way teens see themselves and other teens around them. It is important to know that not all the things seen on TV are true about teenagers. Some older people might see a show or movie with a teen portrayed as a "loud, obnoxious, irresponsible" person, and may start to believe that all teenagers are like that, but we as teenagers know that it is definitely NOT true. We are who we are, but the people on TV aren't us. If you want to know a real teenager, don't watch a TV show to see how they are portrayed because when you meet someone "real" you will be surprised by who they are compared to the person you thought they would be.
STAY TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE AS A TEEN! :)
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