@Fairfax Native

The native children (i.e., American whites) still live like teenagers have always lived in this country: study, play high school sports, date, go to parties, play outside.
 

Nah. Things have changed.

The kids would rather hang out online rather than actually go see a friend in real life.

There are an enormous number of different gadgets to keep you preoccupied. Smartphones, Blu-ray players, iPods, iPads, computers, Netflix, Wii, hundreds of tv channels, etc.

Helicopter parents are anxious about letting the kids out of the house for unsupervised time with friends.

Parties are hard to organize because cops have become strict about ticketing for noise violations and/or underage drinking.

Hanging out in public isn't always easy because of curfew and loitering laws.

If you've got a small kid, he can't go anywhere without a parent around (or child protective services will get on you). Few small kids even play right outside their home (on the lawn or the adjacent street) unsupervised.

Immigrants and downwardly mobile Americans have taken a lot of the cool jobs that teens use to take. So teens can't afford to go out.

The percentage of teens with licenses has declined.

DUI laws are really strictly enforced these days.

Lots of Gen Z teens are not outdoorsy people. They don't like hiking, going in the water, going in the woods, braving the elements (rain, cold, snow), dealing with insects.

Even sports have changed. There was a time, not too long ago, when team mates would hang out together and have parties after games. These days helicopter parents make sure their little athlete doesn't "waste time" socializing, instead forcing him to spend all his time doing homework or practicing. In this increasingly competitive country, parents really want their kids to get a sports scholarship to a Division 1 university. So after high school football games, there's no after-game party at the QB's house. Instead, everyone just goes home. Seriously.

Being a teenager is really boring these days. Teens go through life without having fun adventures or growing independently as individuals. They don't create strong social bonds with fellow teens. Instead, they're either being constantly shuttled to various activities (SAT prep, Key Club, soccer practice, etc.) by their ultra-competitive helicopter parents, or they're sitting in front of a screen like a zombie.

If you're a Boomer or Xer, it's hard to comprehend just how dull their lives are these days.

Replies: @Twinkie, @ATBOTL