Our country had developed values that promote being conservative especially among teenagers even before the dawn of globalization. These values include being discreet when it comes to socializing with the opposite sex. But as our country moved towards globalization and interaction among the very different cultures around the world, these values had been gradually disappearing. Teenagers of today forget about the notion of being conservative and start to become much more liberated than what is expected from a Filipino lad and lass.

With the presence of readily available cable TV, people of a young age bracket, specifically the teenage bracket, consume media content that are meant for an older audience. Youth-oriented TV shows have evolved from being wholesome entertainment into a medium wherein explicit content are uninhibitedly shown such as issues on drugs, booze, gambling and premarital sex. Unfortunately, these media contents manage to sneak into our television screens by bearing the reason that they want to show the kids what not to do when they are caught up in the same scenario. This reason may be right. Yes, kids need to be educated but the problem is that the liberate acts teens do on these TV shows are very often unaccompanied with responsibility and proper response. These shows depict teens running away from responsibility by resorting to drugs, booze and some dirty fun.

But who is to blame? Is it the media per se, our busy parents, or the teens themselves? Who?

The media is a means of communication or a link between what’s happening to the people and the people themselves. People are in need of information. Most of the information coming from the media is not differentiated into good or bad. Media never do such. They just tell you what’s happening around you and what’s happening to you, period. In order for this media to continue its existence, they need people to patronize them. They need to be watched, heard and to be sold. After all, media is business. Media today is strongly governed by the saying, “Sex sells.” Since media is, indeed business, it goes with whatever sells. So, being a business, are they to be blamed?

How about our busy parents? Many households nowadays have both the mother and the father work for a living. Children are often left alone watching television. This is often the start of having young people watch rated PG shows and sadly, sans the PG. Oftentimes; these parents just let their children do such because they think that learning about those issues by watching them is better than having firsthand experiences on them. Teenagers however, never get perfect knowledge by just watching, reading or seeing. They tend to itch to experience what they see on TV. Many parents though think that their children are responsible enough and would never require parental guidance. If, assuming that is indeed the case, why do media have to flash the words “Parental Guidance” every minute on the streaming of their shows? Their children may be raised as responsible teenagers but outside their homes, there are many temptations; temptations to do what are against their values and to do immoral acts. As parents it is their responsibility to protect their children from such things, but as parents they are also obliged to provide for their children, to give them proper education, cozy homes, and in general, a comfortable life. They may not attend to one responsibility, but are they to be blamed if they dream to provide for their children?

Teenagers, they never cease to do shocking actions. Some have proper family setups, some don’t. Those who have none, most of the time, seek the attention and affection of the people around them. To be able to find what they seek, teenagers resort to what they see on TV; to drugs, booze and sex. This is because the shows are never really controlled and regulated by the media; they are never controlled even by their parents. They are left alone to control themselves. Teenagers never really have perfect knowledge on those things. They never get that perfect knowledge from the media, and sometimes, sadly, even from their parents. They are left alone to handle big responsibilities that are very much new and may seem too sensitive for them. So, are they to be blamed, knowing that they are the least equipped to be able to handle those issues; that they are the most unwise yet to be able to decide and foresee the consequences?

Bottom line, we can never really know who is to blame, we can only guess. But then again, with properly regulated media content, the guidance and protection we get from our parents and the responsibility and morality that we, teenagers have developed over time, then the matter on too much exposure of teenagers to societal issues that are yet too sensitive for them to handle is to be solved in no time.

Our country had developed values that promote being conservative especially among teenagers even before the dawn of globalization. These values include being discreet when it comes to socializing with the opposite sex. But as our country moved towards globalization and interaction among the very different cultures around the world, these values had been gradually disappearing. Teenagers of today forget about the notion of being conservative and start to become much more liberated than what is expected from a Filipino lad and lass.

With the presence of readily available cable TV, people of a young age bracket, specifically the teenage bracket, consume media content that are meant for an older audience. Youth-oriented TV shows have evolved from being wholesome entertainment into a medium wherein explicit content are uninhibitedly shown such as issues on drugs, booze, gambling and premarital sex. Unfortunately, these media contents manage to sneak into our television screens by bearing the reason that they want to show the kids what not to do when they are caught up in the same scenario. This reason may be right. Yes, kids need to be educated but the problem is that the liberate acts teens do on these TV shows are very often unaccompanied with responsibility and proper response. These shows depict teens running away from responsibility by resorting to drugs, booze and some dirty fun.

But who is to blame? Is it the media per se, our busy parents, or the teens themselves? Who?

The media is a means of communication or a link between what’s happening to the people and the people themselves. People are in need of information. Most of the information coming from the media is not differentiated into good or bad. Media never do such. They just tell you what’s happening around you and what’s happening to you, period. In order for this media to continue its existence, they need people to patronize them. They need to be watched, heard and to be sold. After all, media is business. Media today is strongly governed by the saying, “Sex sells.” Since media is, indeed business, it goes with whatever sells. So, being a business, are they to be blamed?

How about our busy parents? Many households nowadays have both the mother and the father work for a living. Children are often left alone watching television. This is often the start of having young people watch rated PG shows and sadly, sans the PG. Oftentimes; these parents just let their children do such because they think that learning about those issues by watching them is better than having firsthand experiences on them. Teenagers however, never get perfect knowledge by just watching, reading or seeing. They tend to itch to experience what they see on TV. Many parents though think that their children are responsible enough and would never require parental guidance. If, assuming that is indeed the case, why do media have to flash the words “Parental Guidance” every minute on the streaming of their shows? Their children may be raised as responsible teenagers but outside their homes, there are many temptations; temptations to do what are against their values and to do immoral acts. As parents it is their responsibility to protect their children from such things, but as parents they are also obliged to provide for their children, to give them proper education, cozy homes, and in general, a comfortable life. They may not attend to one responsibility, but are they to be blamed if they dream to provide for their children?

Teenagers, they never cease to do shocking actions. Some have proper family setups, some don’t. Those who have none, most of the time, seek the attention and affection of the people around them. To be able to find what they seek, teenagers resort to what they see on TV; to drugs, booze and sex. This is because the shows are never really controlled and regulated by the media; they are never controlled even by their parents. They are left alone to control themselves. Teenagers never really have perfect knowledge on those things. They never get that perfect knowledge from the media, and sometimes, sadly, even from their parents. They are left alone to handle big responsibilities that are very much new and may seem too sensitive for them. So, are they to be blamed, knowing that they are the least equipped to be able to handle those issues; that they are the most unwise yet to be able to decide and foresee the consequences?

Bottom line, we can never really know who is to blame, we can only guess. But then again, with properly regulated media content, the guidance and protection we get from our parents and the responsibility and morality that we, teenagers have developed over time, then the matter on too much exposure of teenagers to societal issues that are yet too sensitive for them to handle is to be solved in no time.

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