Do children today grow up too quickly? Give 3 reasons why you think so.
No, I do not think that children today grow up too quickly. Instead I feel that they are too eager to grow up. Some even to the expense of their childhood.
Some says that children today grow up too quickly as statistics have shown that 4 out of every 10 teens are in a relationship. However, this cannot prove that they grow up too quickly. With news of underage girls being pregnant and the higher percentage of teens getting sexually transmitted diseases, this shows that the mentality of teens are not matured yet. The fact that they are unable to protect themselves from danger shows that they have not grown up yet.
Take a look around you now. You can easily tell from the actions of teens that they have not grown up. For example, at the supermarket. Some teens will use the trolley as their 'toy', pushing their friends in it all around. They have not realized that they have indirectly caused disturbance to others and create a dangerous environment. Teens not being able to be considerate and think of the consequences also shows that they have not grown up.
Teens today are easily influenced. Be it by their peers, media or even by the society. Most of them follow the trend blindly, and is unable to make their own decisions. Being unable to stand for their own rights also proves that teens today have not grown up. They should be able to resist temptations and stand firm on their values.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Germaine/ The pornification of a generation
Should the media be blamed for influencing youths today? Give 3 reasons why you think so.
No, i feel that the media should not be blamed for influencing youths today. This is because there are also other reasons why youths are influenced. Firstly, i feel that youths need to have the self-discipline to restrict themselves from watching or even imitating porn. As as study from the University of Alberta has shown, as many as 90 percent of boys and 70 percent of girls aged 13 to 14 have accessed sexually explicit content at least once. This shows that the number of youths accessing explicit content online is increasing on a daily basis. However, as long as youths have the self-discipline, they would be able to resist the temptation of going online to watch explicit content.
Secondly, parents also play a important role in educating their children about these kind of content. They are responsible for what their children do. They have to start educating their children from young about moral values and also to teach them take responsibility for their own decisions. If parents do not keep a watchful eye over what their children are doing on the internet, they would not know what their children are doing on the computer. As such, they should also take the blame for allowing explicit content to influence their children.
Thirdly, i feel that the peers of youths also play an important role in this matter. If the youths are exposed to bad influence, they would most like succumb to peer pressure and follow what their peers do as they do not want to be outcasted. As a result, this exposes them to diferent kinds of explicit content, or even drug abuse and smoking. However if the youth has good friends around him/her, he/she would be able to resist the temptation of such explicit content with the help from his/her friends. His/her friends are also able to help the youth in times of difficulty or need.
Thus with all these, i conclude that the media should not be completely blamed for influencing the youths today as there are other forms of influence surrounding the youths nowadays.
No, i feel that the media should not be blamed for influencing youths today. This is because there are also other reasons why youths are influenced. Firstly, i feel that youths need to have the self-discipline to restrict themselves from watching or even imitating porn. As as study from the University of Alberta has shown, as many as 90 percent of boys and 70 percent of girls aged 13 to 14 have accessed sexually explicit content at least once. This shows that the number of youths accessing explicit content online is increasing on a daily basis. However, as long as youths have the self-discipline, they would be able to resist the temptation of going online to watch explicit content.
Secondly, parents also play a important role in educating their children about these kind of content. They are responsible for what their children do. They have to start educating their children from young about moral values and also to teach them take responsibility for their own decisions. If parents do not keep a watchful eye over what their children are doing on the internet, they would not know what their children are doing on the computer. As such, they should also take the blame for allowing explicit content to influence their children.
Thirdly, i feel that the peers of youths also play an important role in this matter. If the youths are exposed to bad influence, they would most like succumb to peer pressure and follow what their peers do as they do not want to be outcasted. As a result, this exposes them to diferent kinds of explicit content, or even drug abuse and smoking. However if the youth has good friends around him/her, he/she would be able to resist the temptation of such explicit content with the help from his/her friends. His/her friends are also able to help the youth in times of difficulty or need.
Thus with all these, i conclude that the media should not be completely blamed for influencing the youths today as there are other forms of influence surrounding the youths nowadays.
Jia Yu/ Youths today... a lost generation?
I agree with the third author most.
“Youths are not lost, but they are searching for solutions to their problems.” said Scott. Yes, youths may seem to be lost, but actually, they are just having difficulty solving their problems. Youths are still young and they need guidance. However, adults are unable to help them, as they may not experience certain problems that youths nowadays face during their generations. Sometimes, the solutions of some problems are not even found yet till today.
Youths are facing many challenges today. The requirements of jobs are getting higher and higher and the youths have to study harder and better in order to compete in this competitive market. They become study machines, living without a goal in their life, losing themselves in this society. They are lack of guidance. The adults are unable to help them much in changing the lifestyle as they did not face this during previous generations. They can only give moral support as much as possible. This causes the youths to continue to lose themselves, which is a sad thing.
Another problem is technology. As Scott mentions, they have to keep up with the current and constantly changing technology. The youth may be able to catch up fast enough, however, they have too much technology and do not know how to make full use of these technology. They misuse it, for example, the Internet. Internet is supposed to give people information and knowledge. However, youths use it to play online games most of the time, and this may lead to cyber addiction. It is disappointing to see youths lost themselves in the virtual world and they need to be guided back.
Youths, like you and me, are not lost. They just need someone to guide them. Adults should help them in coping changes in their lives. They do not have to be experienced. They need to give an advice, a more rational thinking to these young enthusiastic people.
Doreen/Rethink the Millenial Generation.
Give 3 characteristics, negative and/or positive, that you associate with Singapore's Millennials.
Singapore's Millenials are unanimously labelled as the " Generation X ". Negative or postive traits, they both exist among us, but rather it is a question of " to what extent is it negative or positive ? "
First and foremost, I would regard the Singapore Millenials as the ones who are more independent, self-reliant and self driven, which is obviously a postive trait. From my observation, Singapore Millenials are able to hitch their own careers from the very start even without the helps of their parents. They possess entrepreneurship and are able to start businesses, small or big, on their own. Also, the teenagers nowadays are independent learners. Most of them score good results in school even without pressure given by parents. In Singapore where most parents are working, it is inadvertent that parents might not be able to stress the importance of studying to their children. Yet, how could it be explained that even without parents' advices, teenagers are still scoring good results in school? This goes to show that the teenagers are independent and self-reliant.
Secondly, I think that Singapore Millenials are more open-minded and matured when comes to the social relation. The Singapore Millenials are being more generous and are able to compromise with people of different races and genders. Whether you are black(Indians?) or white(caucasions) or yellow(chinese), the youths do not despise or critcise each other, but accept each other with a open heart. Racial harmony is viewed as an utmost importance, and majority of them do not take racial discriminations lightly. For instance, in my secondary school, we often had racial harmony programmes. Regarding this, the students treat this programmes with careful attention and understood that racial harmony is important. This goes to show that teenagers nowadays are able to accept people of all races. In restrospect, the generation x is not so sensible as us. Why? We refer to the racial riots which occured in 1964 between the chinese and malay, which killed a few people. This shows that they are not able to compromise different races generously.
Thirdly, even though it may sound as if the Singapore Millenials are strong and perfect, they still possess flaws which are apparent. One of them would be that they are too easily influenced by the internet. With the rise of better games such as MapleStory, Counterstrike etc. , teenagers are more exposed to such games and they easily get hooked with these harmful virtual games. All thanks to the benefits of better technology, these teens are able to get hold of the internet without much problems. However, while doing good to us such as bringing convenience when we need specific informations, it is also doing bad to the teenagers. Teenagers are susceptible to the change. One example would be a news about a youth who committed suicide due to excessive gamings addictions. This shows that teenagers lack of time management and self-control. They still need to be guided on what is wrong and right.
Tada, sorry for the grammer errors, if any. I'm tired.
Thankyou.
Singapore's Millenials are unanimously labelled as the " Generation X ". Negative or postive traits, they both exist among us, but rather it is a question of " to what extent is it negative or positive ? "
First and foremost, I would regard the Singapore Millenials as the ones who are more independent, self-reliant and self driven, which is obviously a postive trait. From my observation, Singapore Millenials are able to hitch their own careers from the very start even without the helps of their parents. They possess entrepreneurship and are able to start businesses, small or big, on their own. Also, the teenagers nowadays are independent learners. Most of them score good results in school even without pressure given by parents. In Singapore where most parents are working, it is inadvertent that parents might not be able to stress the importance of studying to their children. Yet, how could it be explained that even without parents' advices, teenagers are still scoring good results in school? This goes to show that the teenagers are independent and self-reliant.
Secondly, I think that Singapore Millenials are more open-minded and matured when comes to the social relation. The Singapore Millenials are being more generous and are able to compromise with people of different races and genders. Whether you are black(Indians?) or white(caucasions) or yellow(chinese), the youths do not despise or critcise each other, but accept each other with a open heart. Racial harmony is viewed as an utmost importance, and majority of them do not take racial discriminations lightly. For instance, in my secondary school, we often had racial harmony programmes. Regarding this, the students treat this programmes with careful attention and understood that racial harmony is important. This goes to show that teenagers nowadays are able to accept people of all races. In restrospect, the generation x is not so sensible as us. Why? We refer to the racial riots which occured in 1964 between the chinese and malay, which killed a few people. This shows that they are not able to compromise different races generously.
Thirdly, even though it may sound as if the Singapore Millenials are strong and perfect, they still possess flaws which are apparent. One of them would be that they are too easily influenced by the internet. With the rise of better games such as MapleStory, Counterstrike etc. , teenagers are more exposed to such games and they easily get hooked with these harmful virtual games. All thanks to the benefits of better technology, these teens are able to get hold of the internet without much problems. However, while doing good to us such as bringing convenience when we need specific informations, it is also doing bad to the teenagers. Teenagers are susceptible to the change. One example would be a news about a youth who committed suicide due to excessive gamings addictions. This shows that teenagers lack of time management and self-control. They still need to be guided on what is wrong and right.
Tada, sorry for the grammer errors, if any. I'm tired.
Thankyou.
Yu Fan/Rethink the Millennial Generation
Give 3 characteristics, negative and/or positive, that you associate with Singapore's Millennials.
Firstly, most of Singapore's Millennial Generation are people who are risk takers which might be a negative characteristic. They grew up with no firsthand knowledge of war, famine, disease and poverty. They are more distant from the world's traumatic events and conflicts, and tend to be more optimistic and less governed by fear. This means that they are willing to try out all kinds of activities and not care much about the problems it might carry with it. The negative part of this is that the people that needs emotional support from them might be at risk. They might ignore the implications of their actions, as they are willing to overturn historical patterns of thinking and doing and are more amendable to new ideas and alternative solutions.
Secondly, growing up in a globalized and technologically interconnected world has also made them more social creatures. This is a positive characteristic as it allows them to be widely connected and have good relations with people all over. Being a social person, it makes them good speakers and allows them to clinch a deal more easily than others. The millennial generation work well with people. They come together to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
Lastly, they are a group of people with high adaptability. This generation is more suited at coping with and welcoming unpredictable and rapid change. They try new routes in life, striking out more on their own, like being an entrepreneur. They venture into unknown fields, but are still able to cope well in it. Just like in a polytechnic, they open up a course which does not have this job yet. However, there are people with high adaptability who are willing to try it out, as they know that they will survive out there.
Explain why you chose each of the 3 characteristics
I have chosen risk takers, social creatures and people with high adaptability as they are the main characteristics of the people in the Millennial Generation. Many may think that the Millennial Generation are people who are self-absorbed, selfish and self-destructive. Most people also think that there are many cases of teen pregnancy, drug use and school drop outs. However in actual fact, the millennial Generation are the ones turning things around, they may be the innovative solution for the problems instead. The younger generations are not as rigid as most people would think they are, that is why i have chosen the topic of them being risk takers and one high adaptability. Also, many might think that the youngsters nowadays are trapped in the cyber world and not able not communicate well with others face to face, but it's a wrong concept. The millennial generation are very social creatures and they build great relationships with people.
Firstly, most of Singapore's Millennial Generation are people who are risk takers which might be a negative characteristic. They grew up with no firsthand knowledge of war, famine, disease and poverty. They are more distant from the world's traumatic events and conflicts, and tend to be more optimistic and less governed by fear. This means that they are willing to try out all kinds of activities and not care much about the problems it might carry with it. The negative part of this is that the people that needs emotional support from them might be at risk. They might ignore the implications of their actions, as they are willing to overturn historical patterns of thinking and doing and are more amendable to new ideas and alternative solutions.
Secondly, growing up in a globalized and technologically interconnected world has also made them more social creatures. This is a positive characteristic as it allows them to be widely connected and have good relations with people all over. Being a social person, it makes them good speakers and allows them to clinch a deal more easily than others. The millennial generation work well with people. They come together to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
Lastly, they are a group of people with high adaptability. This generation is more suited at coping with and welcoming unpredictable and rapid change. They try new routes in life, striking out more on their own, like being an entrepreneur. They venture into unknown fields, but are still able to cope well in it. Just like in a polytechnic, they open up a course which does not have this job yet. However, there are people with high adaptability who are willing to try it out, as they know that they will survive out there.
Explain why you chose each of the 3 characteristics
I have chosen risk takers, social creatures and people with high adaptability as they are the main characteristics of the people in the Millennial Generation. Many may think that the Millennial Generation are people who are self-absorbed, selfish and self-destructive. Most people also think that there are many cases of teen pregnancy, drug use and school drop outs. However in actual fact, the millennial Generation are the ones turning things around, they may be the innovative solution for the problems instead. The younger generations are not as rigid as most people would think they are, that is why i have chosen the topic of them being risk takers and one high adaptability. Also, many might think that the youngsters nowadays are trapped in the cyber world and not able not communicate well with others face to face, but it's a wrong concept. The millennial generation are very social creatures and they build great relationships with people.
Pei ling/The youth of today ... a lost generation?
youth- 15 and 35 years old in Singapore (NYC's definition)
lost- unable to find one's way
Which writer do you agree with the most? Why so?
I agree with the second writer the most. Fauteux feels that today's youths are lost because they do not know how to take care of themselves. He points out that youths living in a world of fast food and state-of-art technology is the root of the problem.
Youths nowadays do not know how to make the correct food choices- they consume too much fast food. In Singapore, statistics show that one in every three schoolchildren eats fast food daily. Hence, more and more children are overweight and are at an increased risk for obesity and developing diseases such as diabetes. Even though there are talks by schools to encourage them to reduce the amount of fast food and start eating healthily, they turn a deaf ear to it. They do not know how to make the correct choices. Youths of today are indeed a lost generation.
Also, youths rely too much on technology for answers. Some cannot even handle simple calculations according to Fauteux. Technology is stifling their education and practical learning skills. As technology has expanded and more products become available, it’s difficult to live without these technological "necessities". No wonder youths today are a lost generation.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Clare Seah/ Youth Culture- Are the youth of today less rugged?
What does being rugged mean to you?
Ruggedness does not necessarily equate to fitness, it does not have to refer to being sturdy and strong. It can also refer to being mentally fit and self-reliance.
Being rugged, to me, means that being able to take on challenges which may surface in the near future, or challenges which may arise without warning.
In your experience, are the Singaporean youths of today less 'rugged' and why do your feel this way?
In my experience, i feel that the Singaporean youths of today are less 'rugged' as compared to the youth of the past.
People now a days are collapsing suddenly, and mostly due to heart problems or diseases. As stated in the article, 'Although sudden cardiac death may only hit someone with an underlying hear disease, doctors said a person's physical fitness level may affect the likelihood of him succumbing to both of these conditions.' Thus, the younger generation of Singaporean are growing up less physically rugged than their fathers.
Furthermore, youths of today are overly spoiled and pampered by their maids and parents. They are spoon-fed from young and get practically anything they ask for. Shopping and computer games are some of the indulgence the youth of today indulge in. They no longer run around their void decks or play at playgrounds, the way their fathers had. In the past, the kids were running here and there and everywhere. But now, kids are sitting in front of the computer playing games, doing homework, and eating. With so much fast food and junk food so easily available, how is it possible for the youths of today to be health and physically fit. The sudden physical stress might just kill some of them.
The older generation of today are commenting on how the youths of today are so pampered and spoilt, and how they are like tofu, are unable to suffer hardships, and how they worry about Singapore's future. Seeing that there are more and more deaths and causalities happening in these recent years, among the guys that are enlisted for National Service. The Singaporean youths of today are definitely less rugged than the youths of the past.
However, not all of these youths are less rugged than the youths of the past, as there are more and more youths taking part in activities such as biking and wakeboarding, and endurance sports events like triathlons and marathons. Now, there are more triathlons and marathons are being organised over the last few years.
Besides, there is a higher level of participation among students during PE lessons now, partly due to the more holistic and structured programme. Moreover, students are able to pick up game skill like basketball and soccer during PE lessons. Hence, so long students are in school or have some form of physical training, they are not as weak and maybe just as rugged as their fathers.
Though these factors are true, they do not apply to much of the Singaporean youth today. Singaporean youths of today are definitely less rugged, and it is important to instill an active and healthy lifestyle from young. Have you done that? If not, you should start instilling an active and healthy lifestyle now, as its never to late to start.
Thankyou. (:
Alynna/ The Multitasking Generation
Do you think teenagers are not making the best use of their time? Give at least 3 reasons why you think so.
At any given time of the day, teenagers multitask- consciously or subconsciously.
Today, teenagers have developed multitasking into a habit, which can also be defined as something you do on a daily basis, i.e. a routine.
Being able to do two or more things at the same time certainly screams efficiency. One example would be the most commonly seen- Teenagers studying and listening to their MP3s, or chatting online with their friends. Eg. in a time span of three hours, teenagers are able to do three things simultaneously, as compared to spending an hour each, solely focusing on doing one activity. Surely it seems more productive and we get the best out of it, since we also get to chat online for three hours instead of one!
I understand that many may contest that having one's attention split into so many areas causes teenagers to lose their focus and not be able to absorb information as well as when they have full concentration. However, I feel that this assumption does not apply to everyone. It is, after all, an assumption. Many teenagers still do very well academically despite their constant multitasking.
Having the ability to do multiple things within a same period of time truly shows how much time can be saved when teenagers multitask. Therefore, I believe that teenagers are making the best use of their time by stretching every minute to its fullest.
Teenagers, in the process of multitasking, can get the most out of their learning.
For example, when studying, one can immediately consult a friend who is online to clarify any doubts or ask questions about his or her homework. When they are able to get immediate responses, teenagers are able to learn faster. Furthermore, peer tutoring allows teenagers to become independent learners and saves them the trouble and time as compared to when they have to consult their teachers the next day in school.
This tells me that teenagers are able to receive education more effectively by learning more within a shorter period of time. Thus, I agree that teenagers are making the best use of their time.
However, I also feel that teenagers spend time doing the wrong things. Instead of doing something more productive like reading a book, many teenagers today spend hours on the internet playing games and socialising on websites like Facebook. Much more time is wasted this way, as we all know how time flies when we are having fun. This, more often than not, causes us to lose track of time.
Thus, this tells us that teenagers do not make the best use of their time as multitasking causes them to engage in more meaningless activities, which is often denoted as "wasting time".
Monday, February 22, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
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