Thomas Hine

Thomas Hine
The Rise And Fall of the American Teen 

Thomas Hine writes about how teens  are viewed in society. Society looks down on teens. They view teens as a bad thing/ or stage. From my understanding its a stage in life that these young people go through and after they are past it, they don't tend to look back at the stage as their teenage years. Adults remember it as their "not so smart days".   Hine states "...we remember ourselves as ourselves. Being a teenager isn't an identity but a predicament most people live through. I remember myself then no different then I am now. Teenagers are seen in society as outsiders. Hine states "... while this is largely a history of roles and expectations, the teenagers I'm discussing aren't some exotic species-they're real people." They are what society deem as teens why expect less from them? They are treated as if they aren't capable of doing many things.  They are seen as irresponsible, rebellious, troubled and difficult to handle. Another great point Hine brings up  is how media and society has a role in how teenagers grow up in terms of what they should look like, and how to act. media and society has a large impact on how teenagers are potrayed 

Linda Christensen
                               Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us
   Linda Christensen argues that from a young age we are influence by what we read, see on television, and the people around us. One particular point that the author brings up is Disney. in Disney one does not see a person of color play the lead role. In the article the author talks about how people can be stereotyped. White people are typically powerful ones and the people of color are the inferior ones and one can say that the overweight people are the not so smart ones. in many Disney the mean are put to be darker and ugly where as the good people are better looking. For example The Lion King, Scar was the mean brother he was darker than his brother and lived where the sun did not really shine. Mufasa was the lighter brother whom ran everything he is much lighter and handsome. Pumba whom is the over weight pig isnt so bright and must be guided through everything .... the hidden messages in the Disney movies shows that  the light one is the more attractive and powerful they are. the darker the person is the meaner and uglier they are a perfect example for this is the princess and the frog the first black princess and throughout the entire movie she is an ugly frog. Christensen points out many interesting facts that as a young child one does not think about..