If you have the September 23 issue of TIME Magazine nearby, flip to page 70. On this page there is an article called "I Brake for Teenage Drivers," all about how the drop in the number of teenagers with their license suggests that we don't want freedom. I, being someone who waited a long time to get their license, disagree with this argument. I chose to not get my license for so long because I knew I would not have my own car, therefore I found that it wasn't an urgent thing to do. I realize that this may not be the case for every kid my age who is holding off on getting their license, but I don't think the only reason people are doing so is because they would rather sit at home or be chauffeured around by their parents.
"One-third fewer kids are getting driver's licenses than in 1983. There are two conclusions you can draw from this. One is that this is a generation that is environmentally concerned and economically challenged. The other is correct. They are dead inside." says Joel Stein, one of my favorite columnists. I just don't think that this is a fair conclusion to draw. With the many economical issues our country is having, is it really more reasonable to say that the average teenager is spending all of their time at home on expensive electronics rather than not having the money to pay for gas and maintenance for a car that already costs so much? I love being able to go to my friends house without the help of my parents and being able to eat at whatever restaurant I want when I want, but that freedom dom may not be as important when i'm only able to exercise it Saturday/Sunday mornings and weeknights after my dad gets home, when there is more than one car at home.
Sure our generation has it's problems, but I don't think that this issue is a reflection of the lazy-ness of the average teen today.
Cool post Lisi. I agree that Stein is a bit out of line with that statement. He doesn't know the situations of all those teenagers. I'm guessing his kid didn't get their license for a while and he was tired of driving them around or something like that, which made him angry so he found a fact that could be used to support his anger.
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