Problems in society
By Johnnypenn
@Johnnypenn (237)
United States
June 30, 2008 12:24pm CST
Okay, so as a writer, I have found that somehow, Social problems have cropped up in my writting without my permission. After thinking about it for a while, I decided to try and pick a social problem to work into the plot that my characters have to either overcome or accept.
If you had to write about a social problem, what would it be and why?Mine would be internet safety. the internet safety, did anyone else hear about the 12 year old who told her mother she was meeting friends at the mall, but instead went off with someone she knew from the internet?
It just floors me that there are parents out there who let their 12 year olds have myspace pages and don't bother to watch what their kids are chatting about.
My parents had me on the computer in the living room till I was about seventeen or eighteen I think. I know that this probably goes against what I said before, but that was all before myspace and when that did come out, My Mom was all 'I don't want you to have a myspace account'. I wasn't at all interested in the social aspect on the internet so I told her it wasn't a problem
My parents know all of my screen names and my passwords to all my online accounts. I talked to my parents about the people I met online and when my Mom wanted to see something I moved out of the way so that she could sit and read the thread.
It wasn't till I was nineteen/20 that I got my own computer with internet acess and the only time my parents are on the computer is if something is wrong with it, or the time my bro looked up inapropriate subject matters on the net. THat the good thing about being a writer/researcher, I know what I looked up and some of the stuff I found wasn't mine.
I had my Dad go through it, after telling Mom, and they talked to my bro about using my computer to look up adult rated things that he knew Mom and Dad didn't wan't in the house.
4 responses
@kg_gurl (220)
• United States
30 Jun 08
My parents also set up our family computer in the living room. Although they didn't know my passwords they do try to catch a glimpse of what I was doing online. I wasn't also until college that I was given a laptop - and that was without internet connection! We still have to use the family computer for that. You are right though, I am surprised by what the younger kids do these days on the net. When I was chatting back then, it was only to my friends and classmates - I didn't chat with strangers. Now kids are being so open posting web links and video streams about themselves on the net!
Also another social problem I think is kids going to the mall with friends are getting younger and younger. I have a 5th grade cousin who got used to being allowed to hang out in the mall and now that they can see bad habits and wrong crowd she's hanging out with they won't let her go to the mall with friends anymore. So she throws a tantrum every weekend to get her way. I mean she and her friends are like hanging out there waiting to meet people who you know are up to no good. ~
@Johnnypenn (237)
• United States
30 Jun 08
I'm not exactly sure what you mean with your cousin, does she throw a tantrum and get to go, or do your aunt and uncle make her stay home?
I didn't hang out at the mall at all, and if I did go with friends (when I was younger) either my Mom was with us or a friend that my Mom knows very well. Now that I am older, I go to the mall with my best friend, Mom knows that we won't get into any trouble.
Gosh, I hating pimping...pimps should die!!
I didn't do chat rooms, I only did the message boards. I know that kids can go and do practically whatever they want on the computer, but that's when you get the programs that sift out inaprotiate sites and teach your kid to be responcible online.
The way it work with my parents and I is, that even though they had my pass words and they could come and see what I was doing, they left me alone because they trusted me. I kept open comunication with my Mom too, I told what was talked about and I mentioned some of my online friends. Usually we talked about fandoms like Yu-Gi-Oh! and writting. I made it a point not to ask personal questions online. If I didn't open the door than I wasn't obligated in telling anyone anything personal of myself.
I think that's what is really needed, the kid wants to be responcible, but they still need their parents to teach them how. If my kid starts posting stuff online that I don't like, I'm taking it down, canecling the account and grounding her. THis means no friends, no sleep overs at other houses, and no computer/internet/tv/music. If its really, really bad, I'm stripping the bedroom.
Sooner or later the kid will get it. "If I do this, I get in trouble".
@sunkissed (4330)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Oh this is just terriable, we are hearing more and more of this now days. I really do not know what is going on, if the parents are really that busy and involved in their own lives that they are not supervising the children like they should. Of coure if the internet it is so easy for kids to sneak around and do these things behind their parents backs, I guess there really is no way of getting around it unless the parents are watching the kids all of the time.They can always go to another friends house whos parent does not monitor them.Where there is a will there is a way.
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
30 Jun 08
Johnny, I hope this doesn't seem condescending, but all it takes is time. The longer you live, the more experiences you have or hear about, which can transform themselves into articles, books, even series. When I look at things I wroteas a teen, and in my 30s, 30s, 40s, etc., I'm shocked by the changes in life that changed my writing.
Hang in there, and experience everything you can! Listen to people you meet, and let their stories internalize themselves. Sometimes my characters sort of write themselves, and I'm somewhat surprised at what they do and say. Later I realize I'd picked up on a thread that grew from something someone told me.
NEVER stop keping a file of ideas, quotes, situations, etc., which can turn themselves into good writing some time in the future.
Good luck!
