paS2K

OK, now I understand the question:

"I was glad to be a teenager when I was."

Is that all that I'm allowed to say

Chazmo

I think I've mentioned this before, but I grew up in great fear of nuclear armageddon. The transformation of the Soviet bloc at the end of the '80s has changed the world. For that reason, I'd be glad to be growing up in the world now rather than "then."

That said, the teenage years have always been awkward, rebellious, and to some extent dangerous. I believe it's in the definition.

Rob, I take your point. There is SO MUCH to be excited about as a youth today. This century will see the man/machine interface becoming almost a seamless thing. It will see advances in medicine, treatments, and genetic therapy that will make people stay healthier longer and maintain a high quality of life. I am also hopeful that this century will see the advent of cheap, ubiquitous energy. Who knows, maybe this century will see humans really occupy space.

As you can see, I'm an optimist.

Legal Bill

I don't think it would work for me Rob. today's teens watch tv, play video games and surf the internet. There seems to be a much high rate of underacheivers and layabouts. I think the technology you speak of has its draw backs. When I was a teenager we watched tv, but much less than todays kids with a million channels and DVDs etc.

Plus, todays kids grow up in such an overly controlled environment. They are driven to all these scheduled, supervised events. I loved just running out the door and hunting down my friends and then making up my day as I went along. I think we learned how to socialize a lot better that today's kids.

Now that I'm in my very late 40s I watch tv, play video games and surf the net all day. So in a way, I am also today's teenager.

ralper

Me too. I think tomorrow will be better than today.

I think we're all underestimating today's teenagers. We almost sound like I what remember our parents sounding like.

I think every generation has had it's danger's, it fears, it's quirks and it's problems. Todays generation is no different. Maybe what's different is us. When we were teens we were immortal and invulnerable. Nothing could harm us. Now that we've got experience and know better, we see today's teen years as more dangerous. Maybe they are, but maybe they're just different.

I think this must be a great time to be a teenager.

valentine

I enjoyed my relatively simple teen years -- teens today are more intense than we were even though many of the girls in my high school got married when they were just in their teens (and some of them are still married to the same person today) . I think WE are the lucky ones -- we get to play with all the same toys the kids get to play with and we don't have the agony that teenage girls go through of having to compete in the "looks" department with the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt and Britney Spears and on and on . . . I think there must be hundreds of those teenage beauty queens reigning in Hollywood. It saddens me a little to think I may not live to see what the next generation produces, but the answer to the this thread question is no. I've found something wonderful in each decade of life to not make me want to change my time of life.