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Original poster

What scares teenagers these days?

112 replies

StBrides · 01/11/2023 00:16

Some colleagues were talking about how desensitised teens are these days, having grown up in the fully digital age where you can stumble upon really horrible things online.

Because it's Halloween, it made me wonder if the younger generations don't find the traditional scary / horror films scary in the way us who are a bit older do?

I used to love a bit of gentle horror as a teenager, but the famous films from the 70s were too dated for me to get into so they never freaked me out. Just wondering what the scare landscape is like for the "youths of today" I guess - i don't really know anyone in this age group to ask!

OP posts:
Athrawes · 01/11/2023 00:17

Climate change

LNY1986 · 01/11/2023 00:19

All the teenagers in my family are absolutely terrified of the WiFi going down.

TomatoSandwiches · 01/11/2023 00:19

Phone calls

TheSpikySpinosaurus · 01/11/2023 00:23

Climate change
Knife crime
Rape

Oooooft · 01/11/2023 00:28

My teen and his friends are genuinely scared for the world. Climate change, war, poor economy, the backwards direction of LGBTQ rights.
They talk of never bringing kids into this world as its too scary.

LuluBlakey1 · 01/11/2023 00:30

Athrawes · 01/11/2023 00:17

Climate change

They say climate change and the environment but they throw lots of rubbish, are really wasteful and entitled (eg at festivals and with litter, cheap clothing they just chuck away and with phones, tablets, computer games), are keen to travel at any opportunity, expect holidays abroad, all want cars. I don't see any signs of them thinking THEY need to behave differently.

Oooooft · 01/11/2023 00:31

Ooops, forgot to mention films. They understand 'horror' more I did at that age. They're looking for things like Jordan Peel films that deal with racism, or something like Hereditary - that seemed to scare him

theduchessofspork · 01/11/2023 00:33

University debt

BumpheadParrotfish · 01/11/2023 00:34

Lockdown.

MistressIggi · 01/11/2023 00:34

Hard work?

Original poster
StBrides · 01/11/2023 00:47

MistressIggi · 01/11/2023 00:34

Hard work?

Lol

Am hoping they'll revolutionise the standard work-life balance!

This thread got a heavy quite quickly! I'm talking generally about horror and thrillers rather than the crappy state of the world and the major issues which genuinely frighten us all.

OP posts:
JaninaDuszejko · 01/11/2023 00:50

My teenagers love Stranger Things.

StarShipControl · 01/11/2023 00:51

My ds watched the Exorcist at the cinema. Said it was scary but not too bad. Dh got him to sit with him to watch The Shining and ds was terrified of some parts. Said it was way scarier than the Exorcist v

Cattenberg · 01/11/2023 00:52

Hearing an opinion that challenges their world view?

I’m not saying my generation were particularly brave, but good grief, we were never that fucking wet.

TastesLikeStrawberriesOnASummerEvening · 01/11/2023 00:53

The truth.

noooooooo · 01/11/2023 00:58

14 y.o is amused/nonplussed by horror films but Texas Chainsaw Massacre put the breeze up him last weekend. Not so much Leatherface and his chainsaw malarkey but the opening scenes, the set design; he was impressed. I could tell he was wary by how many lights he put on to get to the bathroom afterwards😂

PuttingDownRoots · 01/11/2023 01:00

I was going to say losing their phones!

JaneJeffer · 01/11/2023 02:22

The big shop not being done

MrsCuthbertson · 01/11/2023 02:24

TomatoSandwiches · 01/11/2023 00:19

Phone calls

😂 very true!

Orangeandgold · 01/11/2023 02:30

The world.

todays teens are exposed to so much. When you speak to them you will notice they have a world of information about the world around them. Sadly it is a scary world when you know more than you need.

I think they are scared of the future.
some are scared of AI
some are afraid of climate change
some never want children because it feels like a dystopia

In terms of how this plays out - it could be escapism (games, VR, Social media); it could be not caring because there isn’t any point and living life; it could be anxiety with the rise in mental health and suicides with our young people.

I think todays young people are scared of real things that never crossed our minds at their age.

MrsCuthbertson · 01/11/2023 02:32

Oooooft · 01/11/2023 00:28

My teen and his friends are genuinely scared for the world. Climate change, war, poor economy, the backwards direction of LGBTQ rights.
They talk of never bringing kids into this world as its too scary.

Really?

My DD (18) and her friends are utterly fearless in comparison. They're busy studying, working, socialising and making plans for the future.

Sorry, OP, your thread is being derailed but I find it odd that teens are "scared for the world."

LunaNorth · 01/11/2023 03:36

I spent my teen years terrified of nuclear war and the hole in the ozone layer.

This was in the 80s. Not that much has changed.

MidnightOnceMore · 01/11/2023 04:01

LuluBlakey1 · 01/11/2023 00:30

They say climate change and the environment but they throw lots of rubbish, are really wasteful and entitled (eg at festivals and with litter, cheap clothing they just chuck away and with phones, tablets, computer games), are keen to travel at any opportunity, expect holidays abroad, all want cars. I don't see any signs of them thinking THEY need to behave differently.

Show quote history

This is not true for many.

However given where we are due to the choices of their parents and grandparents, and what little politicians are doing to address the known issues, I find this blaming of the youngest unfair.

WandaWonder · 01/11/2023 04:05

Not having a charge for a device?

gandeysflipflop · 01/11/2023 04:06

Actual face to face human interaction instead of typing messages to another human on a screen.
and the WiFi going down.