Carter Scott ‘26, Entertainment Editor
Teenagers, being in a critical time of development, are susceptible to conforming to those around them in order to fit in. This can lead to negative consequences regarding an individual’s personality, preferences, and mentality. To avoid such harmful effects, such as “a loss of individuality, increased conflict, and diminished emotional intimacy” according to a Psychology today article, something you could do is rebel against the norm. When you hear the word “rebel,” you might associate it with violent, angry expressions of frustration or desire for change through rioting and destruction. Although those are forms of rebellion, they are on the extreme end of the spectrum, and could be considered violent and dangerous.
In reality, rebelling can be both on small and large scales. For example, instead of going out and committing acts of aggression towards politics, you could focus on a different, yet lesser acknowledged source of authority. Parental figures, friends, and even strangers that you pass by all have an impact on how you perceive yourself. The perception of yourself is incredibly important because it shapes your individualism and self-love. As a teenager, it is extremely important to love yourself, because during this period of time, stress from schools, romantic and platonic relationships, and personal situations can lead to a want to remove stress by any means necessary.
Out of the three examples, the most prominent showcase of teenage rebellion is caused by parents. In an article by Psychology Today, it was said, “When parents regularly show disapproval of their child, perhaps the most emotionally charged defense for the child is to act out their hurt and resentment through some form of rebellion.” It feels valid to want to lash out when the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally find a reason to belittle what you think and believe is important. This can be extremely frustrating and bring about stress.
Stress, being brought upon by not only relationships, but a multitude of things throughout a teenager’s life, can be dangerous. Rebelling in unhealthy ways to cope with issues can lead to doing harmful substances, violence against the self or others, and refusal of self-care. These, despite being ways to go against what people tell you, can negatively impact yourself and those around you. Instead of unhealthy ways to cope with the want for rebellion, there are plenty of much healthier and simultaneously effective ways to go about doing what you want to do.
For instance, the way you dress is a great example of a healthy way to get your point across. Early examples of this form of revolution take us far into the past. In a Britannica article on women that donned armor to fight alongside men, it was stated that, “Herodotus, a Greek author, wrote about how “Queen Tomyris of the Massagetai led her troops against Cyrus II the Great of Persia…” The ancient author also added, “Queen Artemisia I commanded her own ships in 480 BCE when she sailed with the navy of Xerxes I,” These examples of women changing their appearance to go against what was considered the norm at the time expresses the long history of the powerful impact that what you wear has an effect on the society around you.
In the present, it has become much more common to express yourself through what you wear. On the topic of expressing yourself through fashion, Junior Will Henderson said, “When people do not like the clothes I wear, it makes me like the clothes more.” The comfortability that comes with one’s identity is extremely crucial and if someone does not appreciate the way you express yourself. People that care about you and love you should be supportive of how you come across, as long as it does not hurt anybody, regardless of how that takes form.
Overall, being confident in your appearance through self-love and expression is one of the most healthy and powerful ways to rebel against both authority and conformity. It is important to remember that people may not agree with the way someone dresses or acts, but what is important is that the individual is happy with themselves.
Lyon Life 