ralper

We had an interesting discussion in the office today. It revolved around whether you'd like to be a teenager today or you are happy that your teenage years are behind you.

Most of my colleagues felt that they were lucky to have been young in the past as it is way too difficult to grow up today.

As usual, the cheese stood alone. I said that I'd love to be a teenager today. With all of the advances that have been made and with the future as big and bright as I believe it is, I'd love to be a teenager. I believe that tomorrow will always be better than today.

The argument ended in a draw when we decided that we had to get some work done.

What do you think? Would you like to be a teenager today, or are you glad that you were a teenager when you were?

OhioRacer

I would like to be a teenager today IF, and only IF, I could bring my 40-something knowledge and wisdom with me. Otherwise, fuggetaboutit.

ralper

Carm

That came up in the conversation, and pretty much everyone agreed with you. Everyone would love to be a teenager today if they could have their actual age experience at the same time.

That's not what I meant. I mean would you like to be a teenager today or not, as a teenager, not as a 40 something or 50 something in a teenage body.

I would.

paS2K

Not me! Like Morrie in Tuesdays with Morrie, I've "lived every age" and would not want to go back very far....maybe 10 years. I've got:

*one of the best sports cars around ;
*a great wife (...puts up with me... );
*two very mature "young adult" kids who are looking to "make a difference" ;
*reasonable financial security;
*and good health!

How could I be so lucky again

ralper

No, no. You misunderstood the question. I don't mean would you want to trade away your current life. Very few of us would want to do that.

My question was really very simple. All I asked is would you like to be a teenager today as opposed to being a teenager when you were a teenager? My answer that I would is because of all of the opportunities that I see, all of the advances that there have been. I think this is a great time to be young.

Kyras

If I was like the teenager I was, with the same personality, NEVER! It was the worst time of my life. Scared of life, introvert, that I was, it was painful to be alive. Man am I glad I grew out of it!

mina

I have to agree with Rob - I would love to be a teenager in today's age than when I was one a decade ago. There have been so many technological advances made since I've graduated high school, I'm envious!

For example, the sheer amount of information available online is astounding. Papers would have definitely been easier to write. Teenagers have cooler things to play with, too - iPods, camera cell phones with mp3 ringers, etc. Of course, you don't have to be a teenager to enjoy those things, but it would have been a blast to have those kinds of things while I was in high school.

MsPerky

Hmmmm...not sure about this one. I agree that teenagers today have more cool things, but I'm afraid that some of the values we grew up with (like respect and consideration) have been devalued. This isn't the teenagers fault, of course. One area in particular that troubles me is how girls allow themselves to be demeaned sexually and think it is OK. I suppose some of that existed when we were in school, but from what I read, it has gotten totally out of hand. I don't want to get into too many graphic details, but any of you that have teenagers know what I'm talking about. The pressure on the girls in particular to go along is enormous. To me, far more pressure than we had as teenagers.

OhioRacer

Rob,

Now I understand the question. My answer is "no". I would not want to be a teenager today. It was a simpler time for us. AIDS is just one area that comes to mind.

PokS2k

No, I would not. While technology has bought many advances and improved many things, this is a totally different world than the one I grew up in.

While life might appear to be easier now, I had more freedom. I grew up in NYC and remember that I was able to:

1) have my mom put me on a greyhound bus in the front seat from NYC to Md. when I was young and tell the bus driver that I was going to Md. to visit with my aunt.

2) my friends and I got on the subway to go to ballgames (day and night) and didn't worry about crime in the subways.

3) Take walks in the park in the evening and night without being afraid of being mugged.

4) Food wouldn't kill you (ie. e coli and mad cow).

5) Tuna and other fish was safe to eat.

6) I didn't think about terrorism and look suspiciously at people and things.

7) We hung out and talked and did not need chat rooms.

8) We hitchhiked to the beach.

9) We ate as a family most of the time.