Globalization of adolescence

Extract

[...] It is my belief that the internet the main cause of the current globalization of adolescence. The internet is what currently fuels the growing influence that the media has on our lives. We have greater access to media than we ever had before and its influence is spreading farther. The world-wide web has connected people in ways that we have never been connected before. It provides a means for media to sporadically spread all over the world, reaching all different cultures and countries. [...]

[...] These countries and cultures are becoming something that is no longer seen to adolescents as something foreign and strange . something you would only learn about if you took the time to read anthropological studies and history books on or perhaps learn about if you had the pleasure and time to travel. You can get to know or “follow” people who live in cultures all over the world. You can watch someone's Vlog on YouTube, read someone's personal Tumblr post, follow a user's Twitter diatribes, or like someone's Instagram photo showing what the sunset looks like in their part of the world. [...]

[...] In the end, it is my personal experience and opinion that this phenomenon of the globalization of adolescence is a positive move forward in our evolution. Adolescence is a time of change and great stress for the people going through it. The connection between people that the internet gives has allowed a lot of adolescents (myself included) to connect with others and find people going through similar struggles. It has given a voice to those who may not find one in their own home, school, or town. [...]