Director Movies

Clueless started it all. When Alicia Silverstone uttered the the phrase “tragically unhip”, the whole teen world began to feel conscious.

Modern teenagers are considered handfuls by their parents. They are too busy being “hip” that they just forget their own manners.

Teen films are usually about “modern” issues on teenagers like rebellion and identity crisis. The plot usually targets liberated and sensitive topics like sex, drugs and alcohol. Teens desperately want to blend and peer pressure is intense that any form of common sense just goes out the window.

I can remember one 18-year-old girl from a very conservative family who, after her first semester in college, came home pregnant. She told her parents she “did it” because she was mocked by her classmates for her virginity. This destroyed her whole future ahead.

Another 17-year-old boy died of heart failure because of a strange reaction to cocaine. He was pushed by his friends to try some so that he’ll be one of the “in” crowd.

Sex and drugs are very sensitive issues that should be discussed seriously with a mature adult and not among juvenile minds whose main goal is to be “hip”.

So is Hollywood to blame for this? Since the showing of Clueless in 1995, teen flicks became “hip” and at the same time became more obscene. Most are apparently encouraging rebellion and self-alienation from their families.

Most leads in teen films are girls with perfect hair and skin and guys with gorgeous cars and can have any girl they like. This has indirectly triggered issues on identity crisis, self-esteem and alienation.

Furthermore, this pulled issues on teenagers (especially young girls)having plastic surgery. They apparently forgot that they are in the awkward stage; that it is perfectly fine NOT to be perfect.

So parents should always have constant connection and communication with their children especially at this stage. Monitor movies that they watch, magazine they read and games they play on the net – just do it discreetly as it may possibly push them in the opposite direction if you won’t. Explain to them that it is alright to be confuse at this stage and it is alright to ask.

The definition of being “hip” will constantly change as time pass that you can’t really keep up. But manners and self-discipline will shine through even at the day when denims will go out of fashion.

So it doesn’t matter if you have “granola breath” or you don’t always go to trips “toward the mall” as long as you are not “clueless” about your values.