Generation Y Unashamedly Acting Like Teens Into Their 20s

This thread was inspired by Taylor Swift's video for her song "22" which I saw recently and it stunned me. I'm generation X, Taylor Swift is generation Y and I can't relate to the song "22" at all. It's not because I can't remember what it was like to be 22 years old, it seems like yesterday sometimes. It's the fact that what she's singing about in the song was considered purely teenage stuff "in my time." People in their early twenties did not want to be acting like teenagers back then. It was considered, well, retarded. That's not using the word as a pejorative but using the word in the dictionary sense.

Please don't give me any "generation gap" stuff in this case. The phenomenon being discussed here is a radical departure from the rest of human history. Also, it's a radical departure from any culture not dependent on 'Californication' (for lack of a better term).


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I was trying to think of something to compare to Taylor Swift's "22" as a juxtaposition so people could understand my position. I first checked Madonna but she didn't release an album until she was 24 years old. My hazy memory led me to check an artist I vaguely remembered called "Tiffany." Here's an interesting test, watch the following video after watching the video above and try to guess Tiffany's age in the video.


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Tiffany was 16 years old when that song was released and the video above was made. I was stunned to read that because in the video above, I see (and I hear the sentiments of) a mature woman, not a teenager.

You might say, "Taylor Swift's '22' is an outlier." Consider Katy Perry, she's promoting herself as being like a teenager into her late 20s/early 30s.


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Avril Lavigne has promoted herself as being like a teenager into her mid-20s at least. She was 25 years old when the following video was released.


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Can anyone explain this trend? Does anyone else find it frightening and worrying? I see it as more evidence that humanity is slipping into the future described in the film "Idiocracy." I totally expect that so it doesn't surprise me. But, seeing it happening so fast is extraordinary and horrific.

a reply to: Profusion

This is what happens.

Welcome to getting old.

If you are just looking at pop artists, they probably attempt to appeal to younger people in the hopes of having more career longevity.



The Beatles

It was clear early in their career that the Beatles’ appeal was not limited to one age group. Teenagers made up the largest portion of their initial audience, but older people, as well as younger ones, also jumped on the bandwagon. One way of appealing to a very young audience was to meet them on their level, and so the Beatles approved the production of a weekly animated series that would feature their music. Less remembered than some of their other audiovisual exploits, The Beatles cartoon show ran for three seasons on ABC-TV in the mid-to-late 60s and exposed the younger brothers and sisters of Beatle fans to Beatle music.

They want to be treated like adults and make adult decisions, while having none of the responsibilities, and suffering none of the consequences.

I see it too, and I'm one of them, in my 30s that is. Friends I was with back in my high school days today are still the same, well actually worse. It's like they never grew up or just never had those moments of deep self reflection that helps them to become more responsible and respectful.

I really do believe the world will end up like the movie Idiocracy one day.

Take this for example; Autism.

Using CDC statistics...
As of 2014, 1 in 68 births. In 2012, it was 1 in 88. 1980 was 1 in 10,000.

And that's just using one mental disorder as an example.

originally posted by: Ksihkehe
a reply to: Profusion

This is what happens.

Welcome to getting old.

Do you have an answer for the following paragraph?

Please don't give me any "generation gap" stuff in this case. The phenomenon being discussed here is a radical departure from the rest of human history. Also, it's a radical departure from Please don't give me any "generation gap" stuff in this case. The phenomenon being discussed here is a radical departure from the rest of human history. Also, it's a radical departure from any culture not dependent on 'Californication' (for lack of a better term). (for lack of a better term).

This is more than a "generation gap" difference. This is a completely new type of consciousness that appeared suddenly and only in Western culture. There's no precedence for it in history. There's no precedence for it in any culture today outside of Western culture.

Frighteningly, we don't know how it's going to go in the future. If Katy Perry is promoting herself as being like a teenager into her late 20s/early 30s, where will it stop? Will she still be doing that in her 40s, 50s? It looks like we're going to reach that point some time in the future.

The reason I'm claiming that this is a completely new type of consciousness is because it's a reversal from every previous time in history and every culture today that isn't Western.

That's not the stuff of a "generation gap"...

It's exactly what the film "Idiocracy" predicted, happening right in front of us.

originally posted by: Elton
If you are just looking at pop artists, they probably attempt to appeal to younger people in the hopes of having more career longevity.

Can you point to any musical artists in their 20s and later who acted like teens in their promotional materials (music videos, films, etc.) before generation Y?

I think that's an entirely new phenomenon. You're referencing The Beatles as an example? They acted like grown, mature men from the beginning of their stardom. They were grown, mature men at that point after all and they didn't act like teens to promote themselves. What a slap in the face to them to even insinuate such a thing.

The reason I stuck to pop artists in the original post is because it's a sanitized version of all this that I can stomach looking at.

a reply to: Elton

Beatles wanted to appeal to everyone, not just teens. Nothing wrong with that.

I feel like it's because the last generation suddenly felt like it was a bad thing for their children to have to work. Seriously. With each generation the need for children and teenagers to work has lessened. Whether it is due to less farming communities existing or the economy being so good that parents could afford to not have their children help out or get jobs. Then more people thought that making their teens work was sort of like slave labor, so they don't have to grow up.

They can now stay on their parent's insurance until they are what.... 25? Parents and children both now EXPECT the parents to pay for college, so no need to get a job then either.

Why grow up when no one is making you grow up? The average (not poor) teen might not get their first job until they are in their mid 20's or even early 30's at this point (if they are attending college). WTH? With no responsibility whatsoever, why should one mature? They go hand in hand IMO.

I am almost 40. I had a job when I was 15. I worked for my parents even before that. It was unheard of for any of us NOT to have a job back then. It was expected and it was something we all wanted.

Times have changed. The music always reflects the times.

I know 22 year olds that talk and act like they are still in Jr. High school.

Nice observation of pop music between the 80s and now.

While pop music is what it is for bubble gum chewing tweens and teens, it's been controlled for the purpose of curtailing youth culture whether for sales of products(such as the music and merchandise to what the stars promote) to political swaying. From flappers to poodle skirts, to nearly naked pop stars, it's nothing new in modern times.

Plus the "swinging" 60s taught the Feds a lot about how music and culture affect one another.

The question, is why push a generation in the said direction?

Population control? A youthful fantasy won't be interested in having a family but rather prolonging their youth.

But isn't their calls to stop that, with immigration who will be counted on for growing families that will fill employment. But may also fill political goals with the change of voting demographics.

In the end won't the new citizens eventually fall into the same category of having smaller families unless their cultural ideals do not change.

Stuff like Swift and Tiffany can't be taken seriously as an art form or as music. It's teeny bopper crap. Pure disposable product. Throw away stuff not built for durability, just a quick buck.
The Tiffany song probably seems better because it was originally done by Tommy James in the 60's, when pop music could be art. That's why it still sounds great 50 years later. It's timeless.
Mainstream music is the worst it has ever been. We are at the lowest point ever artistically, aurally even technologically.. the more technology evolves, the more soul it sucks right out of the music. It will only get worse as I don't see a musical revolution coming anytime soon. Everything has been done. It's very stagnant.
If music reflects what is happening in society then we are obviously very cold, lifeless, shallow, vapid, dull, boring and materialistic. All sorts of bad things. But there is still great music being made.. it's just a little under the mainstream radar.

Infantilizing people is a method of control. I have read a few things on this subject and I recall gen y /millennials look to authority figures for direction/guidance more than previous generations. They are also less rebellious.

There are a lot of things that have been causing this and it is not limited to millennials/y as some gen xers also fit into the category. School is a major cause as well as parenting methods. Schools have created an environment where children are not meant to be independent. Everything is group focused and about group dynamics. Nerd culture that has been popularized is beginning to drive this as well. Before it was a stigma to be a nerd and read comic books and such because it was seen as childish and immature. Now the role models are people like Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory.

Brave New World touched on keeping people child like and dependent. The Soma trips also seemed like a way of avoiding reality and trying to always feel good. Now people trip on virtual reality. I know 45 year old men who spend literally hundreds of hours a year playing games.

Maturity in the sense of propriety is overrated. I'm 34 and intend to go on pretending I'm still 15 until I perish from the Earth. We all have our existential terror management mechanisms, no matter what anyone claims. Live and let live.

Maturity in the responsibility, egalitarianism, awareness, and civility sense however... that I can and do advocate.

The two are not synonymous or equal in their relevance to me, though. And if these syrupy, glittery, derivative sounds help someone get through their day because in actual reality the world is burning down around them - even though for me such music is anathema - so be it.

Peace.

I am a GenXer but I am on the later end. I noticed in my early 20's it felt like a lot of my peers were lagging in terms of responsibility. They were going out drinking every night, I was juggling work school and kids. I think it is far more pronounced in that age group now, but don't blame the artists, they are just marketing to the crowed that spends the most.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that our generation believed we still had a future. We thought we would have the same successes as the generation before us. The Y generation and the millennials don't have the optimism we had. We couldn't wait to grow up, they are afraid to grow up in these uncertain times.

I'm 22...I hate it I don't fit in.. at all I'd rather crank up iron maiden then listen to this garbage..

a reply to: Leprekon No offense, but the music of this current generation is lacking. I know most older generations have never liked the younger generations music, but your generation really does seem like it got the short end of the stick. No memorable hits, just generic music that is cranked out for profit.

It sure is different from what I experienced, that's for sure
My son celebrated his 28th birthday yesterday, and he kept joking that he is still 18 inside.
I kept thinking, I never had any desire to stay 18!
I think about childhood and even teenager-dom, and they seem like these awful stages I raced to get out of and be a grown up, above all.

Not so for this generation.

But I am typical of the X-Generation- with negligent parents "finding themselves", and giving me the "freedom" to grow up however I chose, being young was scary. It was dangerous. There were predatory people out there, and no one to protect me; there was the danger of my own mistakes and ignorance- without any limits, or guidance, I could accidently step off into instant death at any moment. I was a rather neurotic and stressed kid, who felt the need to grow up fast and gain some power over my own destiny.

At 24, I was married, had one kid, and was pregnant with my second. I had been working since I was 10, had continued to hold down a job through high school and college, and had promptly left home as expected the day I turned 18, never to ask for a bit of aid, or to receive phone calls from my parents.
By the time I was 20, I had already experimented with drugs, and heavy drinking and partying, and had had enough.

I guess people of my generation did as every parent does- we try to give to our own kids what we didn't have ourselves.
I gave mine security, a stable family, a happy childhood.... I pay for them to go to college as long as they want, without having to work at the same time.

Individuals can still be different than the majority of their age group - my daughter chose to work through college, and as soon as she had her degree and a good job, they decided to have a baby and buy a house.

But my sons...oldest holds down a job well, thank god, but he is single, plays Xbox the rest of the time, or goes out for a drink with friends.
The youngest is in university still, with many years ahead of him. He has only worked a job one summer, for a few weeks.
He's 20, but just got his drivers license last week.
Neither of the two boys were especially motivated to get their license... I found that bizarre!
We were obsessed with getting our drivers license!

I guess they just have a good association in mind with their childhood. They are not in as big a hurry to leave it.

I figure, that means I did what I set out to do- give them the childhood I considered "ideal". But it just goes to show, ultimately there is no ideal childhood. There will be setbacks and benefits either way!

I'm not a massive Simon Pegg fan, unlike some of meine Freunde, but I found this interesting:

simonpegg.net...

a reply to: Michet

Funny I remember that blog post. I made some comments in the comments section of that blog when it initially was making the rounds. I agree with Pegg for the most part but think he fails to take the conclusion to their rational ends.

a reply to: Bluesma

I agree with your last point. I think our perception of "Idea" has changed. Material comforts and a stress free existence are desired but as has been said before "it's our struggles that define us". The idea childhood should be one that prepares people for the harsh realities of adulthood. Too many are being shielded from that.

My spouse and I talk about one of her brothers. He is nearly 40 and he cannot pay for his own bills, fill out a job application, cant get around through directions and a myriad of other issues all related to the fact that his parents tried to shield him for so long they have handicapped him. I truly dread when his parents pass away because he will be left to the wolves and it is hard to fault the guy for taking the path of least resistance all his life.