USA: Land of the Free, Home of the Evil?

[oscarmitre]

Teenagers are an invention Cobra - an invention of Madison Avenue advertising companies. Prior to their categorisation as another form of consumer, teenagers were more accurately cast as "adolescents", that is people who were in the process of becoming adult. Adolescents in the animal world - including us humans - display certain characteristics and I'm afraid not all of them are endearing to adults. In fact most of their charactristics are a pain to adults.

Deafness - "waddyamean turn the music down? It ain't loud! You're just on my case!" This said while screaming because the music in the background is drowning out all conversation.

Blindness - "there's nothing wrong with my room, I tidied it up anyway." Something is moving in the bedclothes and all animals and humans in the house have been accounted for - and anyway what is that smell?

Dumbness - grunting becomes a form of communication, reflecting human evolution when grunting preceded real speech. It has recently been proven that humans have an innate potential for speech. They develop it at about 2 and lose it at midnight on the 12th birthday, it apparently re-appears suddnely at midnight on the 19th birthday.

Arrogance - "what do you know anyway? Who do you think you are?"
This being hurled at a parent/step-parent/guardian/carer who has a few years of life experience more than the hurler.

I know these things because I have been a close observer of the adolescent in the field (and in the house and in the car....) and also - believe it or not - I used to be one. And I too had all the above afflictions and then some. :D

Oh adults have a true sense of humour - no Jackass around here ;)