Why do some people discriminate teenagers and young adults because of their age?

Question

I don't really understand why some people do that... They think because of their youth, they don't know what's going on.. For example, I saw my favorite rapper, Chamillionaire, on the Larry King Show... In total, he probably talked about 15 minutes.. if that much... Everyone I'm surrounded by treats younger people like they were just born yesterday and don't know what's going on in the world..

For example, I'm the smartest person in the 8th Grade.. Made one of the highest TAKS scores in the SCHOOL! But a lot of times I make grammar mistakes, but you know what I'm saying. But there is always someone who tries to point that out saying, "Your school must not be too bright. You have the worst grammar in the history of world.." But you know what I'm trying to say.. I'm 13! I'm on the computer! I could try to talk like this: grl, u've suld be thrr. (Translation: Girl, you've should have been there.) What's your opinion on that?

To tell you the truth, I don't really care if I'm cocky or not! I'm just being me! I'm trying to prove a point here! Like I said, there is always some dumb people trying to avoid the question and point out something that has nothing to do with anything!

Answer 1

I can only speak for myself, but I don't discriminate because of age. If there is discrimination, it is because of behavior. Do I discriminate against high school boys? Probably. Why? I have one living in my house and he makes one bonehead decision after another.

I like kids of all ages, and if they're not dressed like they are part of a gang (I'm scared!) or speaking a language I can't understand (AAm ebonics), I judge them by the way they present themselves, and their conversation. Not everyone is smart like me and you (you and me), but that doesn't mean they aren't kind, gentle, athletic or full of many interesting traits.

So I wait, meet the person, and if they don't scare me, and speak a language I can understand, I'm open to working with them, talking to them, shopping with them :), etc.

TX Mom

P.S. Anyone who comes into my sphere of influence gets fed. Just a warning.

P.S.S. When my son slows down on the bone-head decisions, he can get a job, pay for insurance, and I'll buy him a car.

Answer 2

This does happen, but I find it is rarer than you are saying.
I agree with a previous poster: discrimination against behavior is much more common than discrimination against age. When someone acts like an adult, or at least like a responsible, trustworthy person, I treat them that way even if they are only 5. When I meet an adult who is very childish and acts as though he is the only person in the universe, I don't trust him. (I just avoid such people, really.)

Ever since I was about 14, I have had people thinking I was an adult, and treating me like that. Sometimes this would happen: I would meet an adult and have an in-depth discussion about politics, philosophy, religion or whatever. Then they would find out how old I was. Then they stopped talking with me.

But that was RARE. Normally, having just conversed with me, they would treat me as appropriate to my own abilities and intelligence.

Personally, I found that if you decide that your age is against you, it is. But if you decide that it doesn't matter, you can still get things done and be responsible, you won't have any problems except with the government (DMV, voting, etc).

Answer 3

Theres no "discrimination "on the part that you dont know everything - its a fact. I went through what your going through, everyone who has ever been a teenager has, because at the time, you want to be treated like an adult, and think you know everything that an adult knows, and you just dont, not because your stupid, but because you havent lived long enough yet. and to older people, you WERE born practically yesterday, 13 years ago seems like yesterday when you get older. Enjoy being young while you can, youll know too much, and be grown up before you know it, and wish you were 13 again.

Answer 4

When you get older, you'll realize how much you didnt know at age 13.

I was a smart 13 year old too, I was at a college reading level. But there were A LOT of things that I didn't know. I thought I was book smart, street smart, and everything else. But I wasn't. I'm 19 now and realize how dumb I was back then.

I'm sure when I'm 25 I'll realize how much I didn't know at this age. That's just life!

Answer 5

It's because they don't take the time to really try to understand us and where we are coming from. And THANK GOODNESS you don't talk like your example. I see people older than you who talk like that and its the most annoying thing in the world.

I've found that no one will take anyone under the age of 18 seriously. So sometimes I just pretend I'm 18. (I'm 17, so its not too far off). People listen to me like I'm an actual person.

Maybe adults are just too into themselves, and can't admit that there are some things which a teenager might know, that they don't know.

Answer 6

What you're talking about seems to be an isolated incident, but on the whole, young people are a bit more immature and irresponsible than older adults.
You just have to look at all the "OMG I HAD SEX ON THIS DATE WITH THIS GUY AM I PREGNANT???/!1?" questions and honestly, they have a good reason to discriminate.

They probably went through it when they were younger.
It's part of growing up.

Answer 7

In psychology, we learned about the development of adolescents.

According to Piaget, you may or may not be in the formal operation stage. Adolescents (such as yourself) are egocentric. You have an "imaginary audience" (belief that others are as preoccupied with you as you are) and a "personal fable" (believing that something will "never" happen to you, and that people don't understand you).

According to Erik Erikson, adolescents are in a "psychological moratorium", which basically means that you don't know who you are, so you're trying different roles, skills, having different values, etc.

Since most (if not all) adolescents do not know who they "are", they are MUCH more likely to drop out of high school, become pregnant, abuse drugs and alcohol, become a delinquent, be depressed and even suicidal.

Adolescents are trying to figure out "who they are" especially separate from their families, where they're going, what they're "about".

You're still developing, you're not an adult. If you had to survive on your own, you wouldn't be able to. You can't even get a job.
Most adolescents don't care about what is going on in the world around them. How many teenagers sit and watch the news and read the newspaper every day? Not many.
Adolescents tend to spend A LOT more time out and about with friends, instead of at home. They tend to not talk to adults, because they'd much rather speak to friends.
You're highly susceptible to conform to what your friends are doing and give in to peer pressure.

Adolescents are BIOLOGICALLY DRIVEN to have risk-taking behaviors and are prone to recklessness. This is because the social and emotional area of the brain is developing a lot faster than the cognitive/control areas.

Now, I went to the best middle school here. You have to fill out and submit an application, along with test scores, grades, and an additional test. I got in. The same with high school. I got in, and went to the best high school here. I even graduated a year early.
I'm now in college. Just got done with my first semester, actually.
People are FINALLY acknowledging me. I'm not a "high schooler" any more. I'm an adult, I'm responsible for myself, work, drive myself places, etc.

Adults have a lot of expectations of adolescents and a lot of incorrect thoughts.

I lived with it. You just have to earn your respect and show them that you're not like everyone else. That you CAN make smart choices and help yourself.
I did it, and it worked. I'm finally looked at as being confident, smart, a leader, etc. And it took a while to get here. You just can't give up.

Plus, you're only thirteen. You haven't learned enough or lived enough to know everything yet. You know, you haven't taken Calculus, or biology, chemistry, or even geometry yet. You don't know much history, aside from the little they teach in middle school. Keep going to school, and getting great grades. Keep learning and gaining experience. Things will get better with time.
Now, when I see adults, they ask me what my major is. It's Anthropology. Surprisingly, many people don't know what that is. They get interested and I have to explain what it is. They love that. Especially when I tell them I plan on being a Neurologist. :]
If you don't do things that make adults think of you as a child, they won't treat you like one. Treat adults with respect, and you'll be treated with respect.

Answer 8

I know what your saying. i am 19 finished school got one of the best scores on my final exams but sometimes i dont feel like fixing my gamer......dont worry about what other people say. it shouldnt ,atter how you spell or how your gramer is ( see ive missed so many periods already) thats doesnt make a good person.

Answer 9

well socioligists call it "ageism" and it can be teens or older people, mostly teens. Personally i think people who talk like that are in poor taste, and to me it takes more time to spell like that than regualr grammer. In our school we have OGT's, SAT's, ACT, PSAT's (thank you W. bush!) people who point out grammar mistakes are just looking for an easy 2pts and dont really care about the question.

Answer 10

It's not your age it's your attitude. If you don't want people to discriminate against you then change it. Happy Holidays. Ella