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 Handouts"><U>Lessons, Case Studies & Handouts</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id155.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Handouts"><U> Handouts</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id171.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Debate Guidelines"><U>Debate Guidelines</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id209.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Examination 1Psy 230 "><U>Examination 1-Psy 230 </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id266.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jean Piaget"><U>Jean Piaget</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Genetics, Conception Prenatal Developme"><U>Genetics, Conception & Prenatal Development: Discussion 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="id270.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Maternal Employment Infant Development"><U>Maternal Employment &  Infant Development</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"> <div> <A HREF="id313.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Course SyllabusPSY 430UB"><U><I>Course Syllabus-Psy 430</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id264.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Course SyllabusPSY 230"><U><I>Course Syllabus-PSY 230</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lessons, Case Studies Handouts"><U><I>Lessons, Case Studies & Handouts</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Learning Links"><U><I>Related Learning Links</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id238.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Readings"><U><I>Related Readings</I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Discussion ForumPsy 230"><U><I>Discussion Forum</I></U></A><A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Discussion ForumPsy 230"><U><I>m</I></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=340 BGCOLOR="#CCFF66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>CAN WE DO WITHOUT ADOLESCENCE</B></I><B>?</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Overview</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Adolescence is a recent developmental stage. Some societal changes and influences have lengthened</div> <div> this time period.  Adolescence emerged as a result of the industrial revolution and the resulting need</div> <div> to limit the number of people in the work force. It is reported that the requirement of more education </div> <div> is the surface manifestation of the underlying need to delay entry into the work force. With increased</div> <div> longevity, mandatory retirement is the corresponding effect on the other end of the life span.  Many </div> <div> policymakers and scientists are saying that the period of adolescence is no longer needed because young </div> <div> people are not using this period of development wisely.  You can find some of the arguments in the videos </div> <div> below.  Listen to them and ponder the question,  Could we do without adolescence?</div> <bR> <div> On the other hand, we live in a privileged society - one of the few that allow teens to have more free time </div> <div> and the luxury of an extended period called adolescence.</div> <bR> <div> Consider other not-so-contemporary quotes below describing the characteristics of adolescents in earlier times.  </div> <div> There seems not to be much difference in viewpoints centuries ago, with those being made today.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I>“I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today,</I></div> <div> <I> for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words....When I was young, we were taught to be discreet</I></div> <div> <I> and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.” </I></div> <div> <B>–</B><B>Hesiod, 800 B.C.</B></div> <bR> <div> “<I>The children now know luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. </I></div> <div> <I> Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households.  They no longer rise when elders enter</I></div> <div> <I> the room.  They contradict their parents, chatter before company and tyrranize their teachers”.</I></div> <div> <B>–Socrates, 470-399 B.C.</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>“The young people of today think of nothing but themselves.  They have no reverence for parents or</I></div> <div> <I> old age; They are impatient of all restraint; They talk as if they alone know everything and what passes </I></div> <div> <I> for wisdom in us is foolishness in them.  As for girls, they are foolish and immodest and unwomanly in </I></div> <div> <I> speech, behavior and dress.” </I></div> <div> <B>–</B><B>Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1083</B></div> <bR> <div> _____</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Discussion Questions</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">What is your opinion about this?  Do we need adolescence?  How would society need to change if </div> <div>       there was no period of adolescence?  What would happen to our society and to the group of people</div> <div>       we call adolescents?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Pala3aeb009500f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Compare and contrast these views with a discussion, description and characteristics of adolescents today. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Pala3aeb009500f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">What’s the same and what’s different? Are the issues different today?  Why, in your opinion?  </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Pala3aeb009500f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">What societal factors or changes contribute to the differences in issues today and the past? Describe what</div> <div>      it is like to be a teen today in the 21<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#330099" FACE="Palatino Linotype" >st</FONT> Century.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Are there cultural variations and differences between teens?  What are they? Poll members of your </div> <div>       group that may be from different cultures and ask them to provide an overview of their teen culture </div> <div>       from their ethnic perspective.  Are there differences in cultures?  What are the similarities and differences?</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f099003300.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Should we continue this developmental period?  Why? Speculate how our society would change if teenagers</div> <div>       could compete for jobs with adults on an equal basis. What would be the resulting effects?</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Related Learning Links</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/adolescence.aspx" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/adoles"><U><B>Adolescence-Definitions and Links</B></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> _____</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Video Clips</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qto1R2-YSpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qto1R2-YS"><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</div> <div> from one of his final interviews. This is an early edit of a documentary about Dr. Bernstein's life, </div> <div> his academic career, and the lives he has touched in the classroom. Interviews with several generations </div> <div> of students in an attempt to explain Dr. Bernstein's uncommonly sucessful teaching methodology. Dr. Bernstein </div> <div> is battling terminal cancer. Directed by Eric Byler, former student of Dr. Bernstein's at Wesleyan University. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVcaigaCZyw" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVcaigaCZ"><U><B>Adolescence as a Failed Cultural Model-Dr. Newt Gingrich</B></U></A></div> <div> Newt Gingrich describes how the 19th century concept of adolescence fails young adults by robbing </div> <div> them of    engagement in the adult world.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4nf8Dos77w&feature=youtu.be" TARGET="_top" TITLE="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4nf8Dos"><U><B>Robert Epstein and Adolescence Forever?</B></U></A></div> <div> Prepared for adulthood? Former Psychology Today editor-in-chief Robert Epstein makes the case against </div> <div> adolescence. Then, are teenagers kids or little adults? The agenda examines whether adolescence is </div> <div> lasting too long.</div> <bR> <div>  <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4nf8Dos77w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>      </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>