The New Language of Self-Identity

With a wide variety of movies and music at our fingertips, it is notable just how much influence media can have on young people’s sense of self. Diving into the way media influences aspects such as fashion and morals in today’s teens, we are able to gain an inside perspective on how this creative outlet truly impacts the younger generations. 

Through the decades, teens have sought individuality and understanding through TV shows, movies and music. A study done by American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology (AACAP) explains that, “adolescents often listen to music related to developmental themes important to them such as love, sex, gender, ethnic and cultural identity, independence, friendship, and authority.” The media young people consume can give them a sense of community, for example communities such as hippies, emos, punks, grunge, etc., who share a love for the same forms of media and entertainment. At the absolute core of it all; teens wish to be understood, and media is a constant resource for this in a time in their life where human relationships can be fleeting. 

Media can play a pivotal role in how teenagers shape their perception of the world. Matthew Arevalos, a 12th grader at Helix Charter High School, shared that he “takes a lot of inspiration from one of [his] favorite movies, which is Batman. This movie taught me to value the importance of telling the truth, even if it’s a hard thing to do.”  While talking to Arevalos, it was clear that the media he consumes has a very large impact on his view of the world, and even himself. Arevalos also noted that music has a big role in his life; taking inspiration from artists such as A$AP Rocky, King Krule and Lil Yachty, who all encourage him to be himself; “I relate to artists who encourage individuality and don’t care about other people’s opinions of them, because they have set a really good example of how I want to live my life.” These artists also influence Arevalo’s fashion choices, the creativity of the artists previously mentioned all having a unique sense of style. Like many others, it is clear that Arevalos finds comfort in music and its ability to convey predominant traits that he finds key in his life. With this, artists who have a distinctive style are oftentimes pioneers of popular fashion trends, such as Rocky and Yachty’s influence on younger men painting their nails in a time period where a choice like that was seen as “too feminine”. 

With this, it’s important to note that there are no limitations on how the scope of media can be used as a means for self expression. Advances in technology are allowing the amount of media we are able to consume become a pivotal role for the youth of today. Teenagers are becoming exceedingly reliant on media for introspection along with how they wish others to perceive them. Though this is not an entirely positive notion, I do believe that the expansion of what is available online is creating an innovative and relatively individualistic generation.