It's true what they say, that the kids are not okay. What with our broken hearts, drug addictions, selective hearing, poor grades, strict parents, sexual tendencies, self mutilation, and blatant ignorance, it's a miracle any of us are left. The sane teenager is a dying breed, barely a step away from extinction, but who is to say what almost wiped them out, or why?

Society these days has become nothing but a lie, to keep us all under the previous generations thumb, causing us teenagers to rebel. The biggest problem in the world today is the ignorance of adults, and yes, I did just say that.

"Grown Ups" these days are not interested in what teenagers have to say anymore, despite what you may think and believe, you have to be at least 30-40 to have any pull in a serious conversation amongst mature adults. Until said age, you are told that you know nothing of love, nothing of pain, nothing of stress, nothing of happiness. So what is left for us to feel but repressed?

Our entire lives we are told what we can and cannot do, some of us follow blindly, but some question it, deny the lies shoved down their throats by everyone they have ever looked up to. For some, it gets to the point where we no longer know what is the truth, and what is the lie.

For so long we have been told that following our dreams is unethical and illogical, and that we will only ever end up in a cardboard box begging for change on the streets. So we believe that the dreams we dare to dream are untouchable, impossible even, and we give up, but some of us cling to that tiny sliver of hope.

Next thing you know, we rebel. Stop listening to them, stop caring about their opinions. We choose a life of happiness and excitement over meaning and logistics. Now I perfectly understand if you disagree with me, for I know that I am an opinionated b**** at times, but the reality of the matter is, we are what you make of us.

If you tell a person their entire life, that something is bad, or that something is wrong, they will believe you. If you tell a child, that being homosexual, or black, or muslim, even not believing in Santa Claus, is sinful, they will believe you. The mind of a child, or teenager, is mailable, you can make us be whatever you want us to be. The only problem is, the world has changed, the kids have changed. What was considered acceptable back when you "Grown Ups" were young, is much different than now.

We have teenage girls and boys being raped, murdered, molested, tortured, beaten, drugged, even sold into Human Trafficking. What in god's name are you people doing that you cannot see this happening? Why can you not stop this madness? You claim to protect us, that we are precious, and then you let us get picked off, one by one, and then you have the audacity to wonder why some of us cannot look in the mirror, or wonder why we cry ourselves to sleep at night.

You claim you know your children better than anyone else in the world, but the truth is, you know nothing about our generation. We are abused, and we are tired of it. The fact that a rebellion has broken out, that we are doing drugs, having sex, getting piercings and tattoos, doing crazy stunts, cursing like sailors, turning away from God, it's all a direct reaction to your own inability to live out your own dreams. You are punishing the youth of today for the lack of freedom you had as a child. Well to be quite honest, some of us are through with your bad attitude, and we are standing up for ourselves. We are done listening to your lies and pointless babbling.

Tell me my words mean nothing to you, and one day they will become a poem, and that poem will be on the page of a book, which will one day sit on the bookshelf in your nursing home, and maybe you will smile. And just maybe that smile will be one of approval, or maybe realization, happy to know you were wrong. Happy that your criticism made me stronger, a better writer even. Maybe you will feel accomplished.

I guess my point is, the kids are the future, and you people are raising us wrong. Teenagers shouldn't be begging to die, or dropping out of school, or getting pregnant at age 16, and they sure as s*** shouldn't be put on TV for it either. You are crafting a future that I personally want no part of, so I am choosing a life of happiness, rather than meaning. There is no fixing the mess the previous generation has made. So congratulations Moms and Dads, you have ruined the dreams of billions, and destroyed the future that may have been.

Sincerely,
Madison