Youth addicted to social media
Each generation tries to stand out in its own way, with teenagers usually trying to rebel against the «status quo» of their parents.
In the 1970s, this role was played by the hippies. How, however, do the youth of the current generation express their rebellion?
Teenagers today do not «turn to» alcohol and drugs, but have found a different outlet.
At least the numbers of the last decade show a decline in anything related to access to illegal substances (alcohol and drugs) in Europe and the US, writes Olivia Goldhill in the British newspaper The Telegraph.
The internet has «replaced» the use of substances
The use of the internet and social media have reduced the «popularity» of drug substances, to such an extent that now there is talk of «internet‑addicted youth», adds the columnist.
Every generation wants to leave its own mark and stand out from the previous one. There is no doubt that previous generations were characterized by excessive substance consumption. Therefore, it seems logical that the next generation wants to stand out, and one of the key elements to achieve this is social media» commented the criminology professor at Durham University, Fiona Measham.
According to her, after discussions with young people, «there is a widespread sense of responsibility around the economy, the planet, the environment and local communities». «We must remain “clean” in order to fix what previous generations have done» said a 17‑year‑old, characteristic.
