After reading The Stranger by Albert Camus, it became apparent to me that societal expectations were a problem for most people. Mersault, the main character of the novel, had been accused of a murder but was primarily judged by his reaction to his mother's death. Because Mersault chose to respond in a different manner by not showing remorse, and engaging in sexual activity, he was immediately thought of as a disgusting, horrid human being. The extent of the truth of this accusation was simply that Mersault was not very close with his mother and sex was something that he enjoyed. Why not go after happiness if it's available? Mersault, unlike most beings, chose to respond to death by moving on and living life compared to mourning the loss of a loved one, a typical human response. After seeing how powerful societie's influence had over the jury and over Mersault's case, my mind wandered to a broader spectrum of how much society really impacts those who occupy it.
One of the biggest problems that teenagers face is jealousy, truth, and honesty. Teenagers are constantly quick to point out others flaws or imperfections, and rarely does one hear a compliment or have someone go out of their way to say something nice about them. This is because teenagers have trouble being honest with themselves and immediately turn to jealously. Every teenager wants what they can't have whether that be hair, boobs, or big muscles. A teenager is never appreciative of what they have and the gifts they were given so instead focus on what they envy and turn themselves into a group of uncivilized monsters.
Another common interaction that I see between teenagers is the "How do I look?" complex. Whenever a teenager asks for someones opinion they will backfire with a rude comment and oppose the persons views if their friend's honesty implied something negative. However, if the commentator had said something good, the once hesitant teenager would bask in glory. Clearly teenagers have trouble grasping and accepting the truth and regardless of whether they ask or not, a rebuttal will always be made as long as the other person disagrees in some form.
I personally don't understand why teenagers behave the way that they do. There is no reason for the ridicule that goes on amongst teenagers each and every day of their lives. Teenagers need to start recognizing better qualities within each other instead of jumping to trash the person sitting next to them. If one asks for the truth then they should expect to receive the truth. Teenagers as a whole need to stop this irrational behavior and start being more accepting of the world around them before America turns into a war with itself.
