When we all agree that its not right to show teens ads about smoking for even the ads aimed at prevention lead to teens taking up smoking.
When it comes to sexual dresses and dramas, we just start talking how important it is to let teens decide for themselves what right or wrong.
Why?
Re: Please Explain To me
Hypocrisy of modernity !
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Who is this "we" icon? I (and most other parents I know) will give our kids a bit of freedom when it comes to what they wear....but it will be "ok, you can wear this or you can wear that." If one a my boys came home with an earring, tatoo, mohawk, dyed hair, pants that would fit king kong or anything along those lines, their butt would be sent off to military academy before they knew what hit them.
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oh ok...I think Ive seen one or two of these. I think those ads are aimed at kids who are in danger of dropping out of school, those who are picked on etc. I guess its kind of an effort to lessen their burden, let them feel at least a little in control....
not sure really...I dont get those ads either....cause if it were MY kid coming home with purple hair or a tongue peircing...like I said...military academy.
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The OP presupposes that the two are equivalent scenarios that require an equivalent response, which I do not see to be the case.
As a non-smoker, I do not know enough about the smoking dialog to have an informed opinion about whether teenagers should be able to see such advertising or not. From what little I have heard some unscrupulous tactics were used by tobacco companies in past advertising campaigns to target teenagers and to create addictions.
Sexual dramas or clothing are not targetted advertising campaigns to lure towards a product. They are reflections of life and expressions of individuality, which I consider to be a different matter. What makes this matter complex is that there is not universal agreement about what is too sexual and what is not, and what the pros and cons are about such matters.
I think situations vary with context and it is hard to make absolute statements. In general, I am a proponent of informed individual choice.
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Its pretty well accepted that
point is affect of exposure to all these things is expected to make people indulge in similar behavior except sex.
And i frankly informed choice thing is load of crap, i am a physician and i can tell you when presented with hard facts without giving them a direction people cannot make choices or often make wrong ones.
Re: Please Explain To me
Sounds great Ano...but often, teens still make bad choices even when they are "informed". I'm so glad that I live in a school district that has a sort of dress code - no bellies showing, no droopy baggy pants, no cleavage, no tongue jewelry etc etc. If you show up to high school dressed like madonna, your parents are called and you're sent home to cchange into appropriate and decent clothing. But if you happen to pass by a high school in a poor district, you;ll see ALLLLL sorts of indecency.
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sorry Icon...your thread got a little off topic there....
I still havent figured out what the purpose is of those ads that advocate "choice" as far as dressing and drama....I guess you need to have experienced something along those lines to be able to understand.
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cartoons used to be more violent when i was a kid, it never really make me want to be violent, yeah ppl wanted to emulate some characters..
so I suppose without proper guidance external cues would impact kids behavior, I think its that proper guidance where a large number of parents are failing.
to me it also seems that somethings are coming back to the norm, like in, you are not your kids friends, but parents..I see a huge change in how my friends are parenting their kids now versus what I saw older pals or cousins or neighbours etc doing just a decade ago.
The pressure for choices is real and true, who are the ads for sugary 'fun' cereals targeted at? kids, they dont show those ads during larry king live, but during kids shows on kids channels. There are marketing case studies on impact of ad shifting focus and product bottom line for those cereals.
I am fully supportive of restrictions on cigarette ads, but at the same time same for alcoholic beverages..not because I am some sort of goof muslim boyscout type, but because it is doing the same thing as cigarettes for youth. its supposed to be cool and fun..
Television, music and movies should have labels, so you know what type of material is appropriate for what ages, btu then enforcing that is not upto product makers.
in the end, we can note and limit harmful influences, but parents and family have to play a big role in it, and parents have to be parents..not buddies. this is nto to say you cant be friendly and laid back with your kids, but you call the shots, they dont.
Its pretty well accepted that
point is affect of exposure to all these things is expected to make people indulge in similar behavior except sex.
I am pondering your point. It's reasonable to say that environment and what is promoted by culture influences one's behavior.
My parents did not have any restrictions on us about watching advertisements about smoking, or about violent media. They had greater restrictions on matters of a sexual nature. In the end, I am not inclined to smoke or engage in violence but do have an interest in sexuality.
That does not, however, mean the effects are opposite. An interest in sexuality is a greater part of the human experience than violence or smoking--for most people at least since for some smoking might trump all else ;-)
I think it is not one experience or exposure but the sum of experience and exposure. I expect I did not turn to smoking or violence because there were other exposure to counter that influence.
I am curious how you feel about this point. If you agree, I wonder if there is a way to counter the exposure that concerns you in your house.
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And i frankly informed choice thing is load of crap, i am a physician and i can tell you when presented with hard facts without giving them a direction people cannot make choices or often make wrong ones.
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If it is fair of you to say so then it is fair of me to say that absolute statements are a load of crap.
In your example, what makes your direction more sound? I wager it is (1) degree of being informed and feeling confident in it, and (2) maturity of judgment from experience.
While I have seen some teens who have demonstrated greater sensibility and maturity than those who had an advantage in years, I agree that in general maturity, judgment, and amount of knowledge increase with years one has had.
What can be done to help teens increase their knowledge and better their judgment? What is specific to teens who do demonstrate good judgment?
Sounds great Ano...but often, teens still make bad choices even when they are "informed".
Fair enough. I am trying to bring discussion to what is it that makes the judgment of a parent better. I don't ask this question to suggest it is not better, but to put our finger on that that separates the judgment of a parent and that of a teen.
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I think the best place to start is in the early years. You give them a small number of choices and limit those choices to good ones. Perhaps as they get older, you can increase the number of choices...again limiting the choices to only good ones....and always explain why these choices are good ones, why some choices are bad ones etc. I guess thats my theory for now;...will wait a decade and post back as to whether it worked :(
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In my opinion, smoking and violence are relatively more objective matters, and sexuality is in comparison more subjective.
The difficulty I see with the idea of controlling what is shown on TV and the like is who defines that standard when there is not one standard. I think rather than forcing this at a global level, the decision should be left at a household level. I might not want the same restrictions in my house that A might want, and I might want greater restrictions than what B might want.
I think the best place to start is in the early years. You give them a small number of choices and limit those choices to good ones.
I think parenting does indeed have tremendous influence.
If I understand you correctly, you are suggesting to let them make a small number of choices, and let all the options in these choices be good ones.
I agree with the fundamental idea, which is to help them learn how to make good decisions. Can the idea of helping them learn how to make good decisions be also taken to scenarios where the options also include what might be considered bad choices?
If one a my boys came home with an earring, tatoo, mohawk, dyed hair, pants that would fit king kong or anything along those lines, their butt would be sent off to military academy before they knew what hit them.
Let's have some good conversation.
Why is an earring or tattoo, or any of the other items you list bad? I am reserving judgment on whether it is good or bad. I am curious to hear your perspective.
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I guess in and of themselves those things arent particularly bad. I dont like any of them. Not one bit. But much more than that, the teens with tongue piercings, mohawks, pink or green hair, size 50 jeans etc etc are typically the ones who hang out on street corners smoking pot, skip school, disrespect others etc. The "gangsta" mentality. kwim?
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^ I understand. It is not the features themselves but the subculture that is likely associated with the features that concerns you.
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Yes! And I dont think that any one (or two) of those things would even come into play...unless the kid were indulging in that particular (and undesirable) subculture.
i have to agree with icon. I personally find it a load of rubbish and i think what is is termed as ‘hidden curriculum’ tends to shape young minds. The world is exceedingly sexualised because there is very little consideration being shown to the side effects.
A while back Dora’s(the girl explorer cartoon)producers wanted to give her a barbie set up and parents went against it because they thought it would sexualise the character.
New Look: Dora the Fashion Explorer - TV - Citysearch
i dont know if they have gone on witht he decision but for shame to me.