Newell-Fonda High School
Newell, Iowa
Teacher: Connie Doonan

 

 

 

A Rite of Passage

By Josh Braunschweig

12th Grade

           

 

Many cultures of today have a rite of passage that allows boys and girls to become men and women in their society.  The American culture does not have any such test for a rite of passage into adulthood; nothing is passed down from generation to generation.  In the community I live in today, and I do not believe there needs to be a rite of passage.

           

Today we see more violence in young teenagers than we ever have before.  When the local news station is turned on, clips from the day that follow are oftentimes a very gruesome and real problem in our society.  The media picks up on this because it catches the viewers’ attention, but often brings about a negative for young children and teenagers.  They see what is going on inside and outside of their community and sometimes entrap themselves inside their own, peaceful world, with total bliss were there is nothing wrong.  Bit in all actuality, this is not the real world.  I am not saying that TV causes violence; I am just saying that the media does have a very large influence on people today.  Television often times spurs a dream of furthered education either through the armed forces or a community college, also, what long distance calling company a person should use, where to take their families on vacation, and also what toys children would like to have.  These all have positive effects for whoever is making these decisions, but for someone who is just watching TV out of pure boredom, a very mixed message may appear inside their minds.  Our culture does not have a rite of passage, but oftentimes the media make it seem like the rite of passage for teenagers today is sex.  Magazine models always have a slender figure, giving teenagers the assumption that they need to look like they do.  TV shows are also like that, more times than not giving a beautiful, thin actress a lead role in either a movie or on every night television.  This message tells teens they need to look like these models to get somewhere in life.  This concept of thinking is totally outlandish.  Great ideas and new inventions that will in some way help mankind are not sturred up by beauty, but by the human mind. 

           

In the community that I live in, there are few violent acts that are committed.  Our crime rate is very low.  We do not live in a perfect world, however.  I can only talk about what I know through my own experience.  Just because our crime rate is low and we have a small population, doesn’t mean we have all the answers to a better society.  We still have problems with drug and alcohol abuse, people stealing money and other valuables, along with young teenagers becoming pregnant and having babies.  What do I think can be done about these problems may not be the answers, and many may disagree with me on it.  I believe we need to educate children about the real world at school.  Not in a way that will scare them, but in a way they will give respect.  Most high schools do not educate teenagers for the real world atmosphere.  Some of the best real world classes are in the shop room or family and consumer science.  These classes teach things that a person will need to know when they are on your own, or have a family.  Of course every student needs to know how to speak and write in proper English, and also be able to work out a complex math problem.  But what about raising a child, or buying an automobile or maybe even a house, filling out a resume, doing your own taxes, or even good hands on practice for running a computer?  Most schools do offer classes in these areas, but they are not emphasized.  Years ago, schools got their students ready for the world, but today, in order to get into the real world a student almost has to take four years of college, get a degree of some sort, then find a job that will fit that degree.  And it seems the world of today has moved even farther ahead than that.  Most of the higher positions available require experience plus more time in college than the four years that have already been spent there.  What this tells me is that high school prepares students for a world that does not exist anymore.

           

In the community in which I live in today, there does not need to be a rite of passage.  We are a very diverse culture that could not settle on one option for a rite of passage.  With students being prepared for an old fashioned world of work and the media giving teenagers such influence as saying sex and sex appeal is what matters in life, it is no wonder we are having problems with violence and crime in our young teenagers today.

 

 

Questions for Discussion

 

 

1.                   Margaret Mead says that teenagers in the United States are becoming “less that they can be.”

 

2.                   I believe that there are no longer misconceptions about race and color because black people do have all the same rights as a white person.  I do believe there is still some misconceptions about the different races that are coming into the area.  People are quick to judge them and not to trust them.

 

3.                   I do believe that culture is man made, but I do not believe man should be free to change it to how he wants it at any time.  Culture is to remind us of how it use to be somewhat like a tradition.  The dictionary says it is “the act of developing the intelligence and moral faculties especially by education.

 

4.                   In her writings Margaret mead was advocating a greater knowledge and control over the civilizing process.

 

5.                   I think so because every child, no matter what age needs some sort of boundaries put on them.  I don’t think parents realize what is going on with their children and are very lack on enforcing the structural form and boundaries they want kept.

 

6.                   While I have been in High school I have seen High school students drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and also smoking marijuana.

 

7.                    My suggestion for the teenager is to take his case to a higher power than himself.  First, I would go to a teacher, then the principal, and so on up the chain of command, until you get to the courts if need be.  But if the student doesn’t want to carry it on that far, he can either ignore the problem or move on to another school.

 

8.                   If all I had to do was go to class and learn, life would be a breeze, but it’s not like that.  I would strongly dislike being home schooled or going anywhere else because I wouldn’t see or talk to any of my friends and more than likely not have a social life.  I am totally happy with my position in life and not willing to change myself for anything.

 

9.                   I believe that classes with actual life situations would be more practical than some of the classes that are taught in the classroom today.  I would agree with Pete Seeger when he said, “Schools are like prisons.”  They don’t prepare you for the real world, but the education you do get is still important.

 

The “Bottom Line” is a very strong and compelling opinion of one person.  I would agree that you need someone you can trust to tell your darkest secrets to.  Of course parents are going to feel left out.  Their once totally dependent baby is growing up and wants independence, but still with rules and boundaries.  The author seems to be coming down hard on the current and new generations of adolescence.  No one is perfect and never will be.  We all have our faults, no matter our race, gender, social status, or age.  Just because we are young doesn’t mean we have no science of reality.  There are many adult parents out there I would not want raising my children because of their instability.