2. The Resourcefulness Of Teenagers
It is no secret that the further we get into this generation, the lazier teenagers are becoming. I don't like to call it laziness, though. I like to call it "resourcefulness". Teens are in this environment where if you can't Google it, then it isn't worth knowing. They can't even get through arguments without bringing out their smart phone to drive their points home (and, yes, this does spurn from my jealousy of never having owned a smart phone). Back in 1984, A Nightmare On Elm Street introduced us to, possibly, the most resourceful teen in Nancy. She sets up her entire house, Kevin McAllister style, to trap Freddy Krueger after she brings him out of her dream. We see her testing the traps while she puts her nose in a survival guidebook that is teaching her how to do this. She's reading a book on how to protect herself! Why has this not caught on in horror movies? We are now fed the total lie that every high school stereotype can build a device to fend off serial killers or thinks on their feet at the drop of a hat. It's just not plausible in this generation to prolong the idea that, when put it stressful situations, teenagers can thrive with nothing more than their brains and the power of impulse. Public school curriculums have become less trying, failing students are being passed so their self-esteem isn't wrecked, and they miss out on a ton of opportunities to use their brains instead of plugging numbers into calculators or pulling up Spark Notes on their laptops.