http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrLTOPPcYq0
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is one of the most popular teen shows. The above link is to a clip from season 2 of the show. In the clip, Adrienne and Grace, two high school students, talk about the sex they've had with their significant others. While they are talking some of the other students begin listening in. This clip is just one example of sex shown in this popular teen show. The entire show is based around high school teens having sex, teen pregnancies, and teen marriage. While the teens in the show do face many obstacles, they all are doing well in school and most are still on track for graduation.
Do you think the students listening in were fascinated or disgusted by the conversation? Do you feel that secret life encourages teen sex or has the opposite effect? Do you feel that teens who watch the show are more or less likely to have sex, end up pregnant, and get married in high school? Were the students at your high school similar to the students on this show? Do you think this show gives a good portrayal of how teenage life really is?
I think that the teens were intrigued by the conversation. High school is a time for discovery and when many teenagers start having serious relationships. Many teens also start becoming sexually active during this time. The teenagers that were listening were probably curious about what the other teenagers were doing and what their experiences where like. I definitely don't think the boys were disgusted by the girls conversation. They were the fascinated ones. The girls in the background probably didn't approve of the conversation, but I don't think they were disgusted.
ReplyDeleteI think that a lot about the secret life of the american teenager is very unrealistic, like most tv shows. In this clip however, I think the students act how normal teenagers would act (a little more dramatic). It's normal for girlfriends to talk about boys and such, and I think it is also normal for people to want to listen in on other people's gossip. From my experience in high school peers would definitely listen to any gossip they could get their hands on, they loved to hear the juicy stuff. Notice how the show makes it obvious the people around the girls are leaning in to hear what they have to say- teens love to hear about each other's lives/gossip. Other aspects of this show is a lot unlike my high school though. I went to a private catholic school and there was never a pregnancy or marriage at my school. From my stand point most of this show does not give a good portrayal of how teen life really is, but that just may be me.
ReplyDeleteI think Catherine did a very good job of explaining the similarities and differences between adolescent life portrayed in the media and her personal experiences through high school. It's very natural for people to be swayed by the media and become convinced by its superficial messages. She used personal evidence from past experience along with general assumptions made about teenagers and accepted actions in high school.
DeleteTo comment on Catherine's post...
ReplyDeleteI agree that the show is relatively unrealistic and I disagree that this particular scene is normal. I don't think it's common for people to be in a personal conversation to this extent in a classroom environment. The fact that these two are talking about boys is not what is hard to believe, as well as the people trying to listen in on the conversation. Speaking from my high school experience, nobody ever really had these conversations while they were in class, maybe in lunch with their friends, but not here. Although it is hard to comment on something only knowing your own background, I still think a conversation such as the one in the clip, wouldn't have happened like it did if it were in real life.
I think the students listening in were just curious and nosey, as most teenagers are. I do not believe they were fascinated, but simply curious. They may have been listening because they do the same types of things or they may have been listening for the exact opposite reason, because they do not have sex and are curious to know the thoughts of those individuals that do. I also agree with Catherine’s statement that it is normal for girls to talk about boys and for people to listen in. People are nosey, and that may just be human nature for some. I think that more teens may feel having sex is acceptable because of this program but ultimately teens are going to do what they want to. More than anything, teens are influenced by their various social groups. I believe teens are more likely to have sex, end up pregnant, or get married in high-school if they see their peers in real life doing it rather than watching it on a television program. The students at my high-school were not like the students portrayed in this clip. Most students were very distant from sex-talk in school. All of the cliques probably discussed sex amongst themselves but it was not a huge topic of discussion throughout the school. I agree with Mcardle that this is not a true representation of topics that would be discussed within a classroom. I do not think this clip is necessarily teenage life as of right now, but I believe as the years progress and people begin to start these types of actions younger and younger ultimately this scene will be a sad reality!
ReplyDeleteBrittany claims that teenagers are simply nosey and they do what they want to do. She does a great job explaining that teenagers are like this because it is simply in their nature. Also, she provides the evidence that teenagers are just curious, which I also believe it true because we always want to know new things.
DeleteBrittany's comment is great because she plays off of what previous posts claimed in order to bring something new to the table. She says they probably aren't fascinated, just nosey and curious like most teens are. She then goes on to explain how she came to this conclusion and finishes by making a final so what. If we were to analyze a similar scene several years from now it may be a fairly good portrayal of what high school is at that time.
ReplyDelete