# Ask the male teenager **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777 "2003-03-16T09:22:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/81 "2003-03-22T14:59:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brynda \* > \*_Someone mentioned this earlier and I wanted to bring it up again. Not you, I am guessing, but **some** teenage boys seem to get great delight out of being rude and humiliating complete strangers in public._ What do you think they get out of this? > > \*Example: When an unattractive woman or girl walks by, saying “There’s your girlfriend!” and laughing. \*\* I think it’s because when you go through your teenage years, you start to want control over your life. Since most kids feel they don’t have any control, they seek dominance in any sort of way. By making fun of an ugly person, who does not defend themselves, they feel they are truly controlling what happens. Same applies to similar things. Does that make sense? I hope it make sense, and I don’t sound like an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/82 "2003-03-22T15:00:49Z")
Addition: Put “What they get is a feeling of being control of the situation, unlike their life.” after the first sentence. ---
**Author:** ![whiteboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@whiteboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiteboy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/83 "2003-03-22T15:32:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrVisible \* > \*\*Wait a second… > > You’re 5’3", and you have size 11 feet? > > Watch out for that growth spurt. You may very well get whiplash. > > I’d start wearing a neckbrace now, just in case. \*\* Teenage guys don’t wear shoes that actually fit. I could fit comfortably in a 10, and I wear 11’s. I’m 5"8. Its the same thing that drives alot of guys to buy those magnums, when they have no buisness doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/84 "2003-03-22T16:15:13Z")
My shoes fit fine, and I think I might need another pair soon. Strange as it seems. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/85 "2003-03-23T08:20:31Z")
What are you doing to develop your writing skills? Do you have a writing regimen worked out? Do you keep a journal? If you haven’t heard of it, I sincerely recommend the National Novel Writing Month, or [NaNoWriMo](http://www.nanowrimo.org/). It’s an amazingly educational and inspiring experience to turn out 50,000 words in a month. Check out the site, but be warned; you have until November to get prepared. What do you write about? What do you feel most passionate about? What kind of experiences do you feel will make you a better writer? (By the way, so far I’m impressed; you’ve got a mastery of grammar, spelling, and so forth, and you also have a very succinct but straightforward style that’s very readable.) ---
**Author:** ![MachineHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@MachineHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MachineHead)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/86 "2003-03-23T15:40:22Z")
Do you have a girlfriend? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/87 "2003-03-24T13:21:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrVisible \* > \*\*What are you doing to develop your writing skills? Do you have a writing regimen worked out? Do you keep a journal? > > If you haven’t heard of it, I sincerely recommend the National Novel Writing Month, or [NaNoWriMo](http://www.nanowrimo.org/). It’s an amazingly educational and inspiring experience to turn out 50,000 words in a month. Check out the site, but be warned; you have until November to get prepared. > > What do you write about? > > What do you feel most passionate about? > > What kind of experiences do you feel will make you a better writer? > > (By the way, so far I’m impressed; you’ve got a mastery of grammar, spelling, and so forth, and you also have a very succinct but straightforward style that’s very readable.) \*\* To develop my writing skills, I try to write at least one page single sapced about a subject, which I do in a journal. My writing varys from writing Reviews to parodys to fiction. Do you mean passionate about writing on the subject? In general? I think life in general will help me become a better writer; I try and think about things from my view, and from other perspectivs. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/88 "2003-03-24T13:22:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MachineHead \* > \*\*Do you have a girlfriend? \*\* No, not currently. ---
**Author:** ![if\_you\_don\_t\_know\_i\_won\_t\_tell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/fbc32d/32.png) [@if\_you\_don\_t\_know\_i\_won\_t\_tell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if_you_don_t_know_i_won_t_tell)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/89 "2003-03-24T16:49:09Z")
He’s single :o omg!.. well then again, so am I… go figure. You seem like a fine lad, aslan2, you’ll do fine in life surely. I’m another teen, btw, and also a writer as well. Nothing to really add, just thought I’d say hi. :smack: whoever says women are good at saying what they think should be shot. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/90 "2003-03-25T13:18:19Z")
What type of writer are you? ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/91 "2003-03-25T16:27:31Z")
**Aslan2** , a question from a bear to a lion, if you please: Masturbation as popular now as it was when I was a teenager lo these two and a half years ago? Enquiring minds ‘n’ all that. I’ve no need for it now (see sig), but I was curious as to how the less fortunate among my former comrades were getting along. ---
**Author:** ![kgriffey79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@kgriffey79](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kgriffey79)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/92 "2003-03-25T18:10:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by if you don’t know i won’t tell \* > \*\* :smack: whoever says women are good at saying what they think should be shot. :rolleyes: \*\* A-Fuckin-men Anyway, from one male teenager to another(although, somehow I’ve become an adult since February, but whatever), what WWF(Get the E out) superstars are you a fan of? I’m a big fan of HHH(well, the old DX HHH), Kurt Angle, John Cena, and Al Snow, among many others. Just wondering, do you go to a public middle school/high school? How big is your school? What drugs are going around the school? What kind of music do you listen to? your peers? ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/93 "2003-03-25T20:25:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aslan2 \* > Do you mean passionate about writing on the subject? In general? Both. Either. Aren’t they pretty much the same thing? If not, why not? I’ve noticed that your responses in this thread have tended to be brief, even terse. Would you mind writing a longer piece? Maybe just pick a question from the thread and expound on the subject for a few paragraphs? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/94 "2003-03-25T22:56:40Z")
Aslan, here is a question I would really like to know. I am “Auntie” to my 14-year old nephew (the nephew of my boyfriend, actually). I get the impression that he hates attention. When I ask “hows school, how are your hobbies” he seems to want to say as little as possible. He even gives me the impression that the questions themselves are somehow not “cool” Yet he does seem to like to be around me/us. So what is it with male teenagers and attention? How should I let him know I am interested in hearing from him without making him uncomfortable? And at what age should I stop kissing him on his cheek? (I have stopped since his 6th birthday an wondered if that was too soon. But I alsways see commercials that depict a sloppy kiss from a big old auntie as the most awful thing that can happen to a teenager. Is this tue? What’s so awful about it? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2003, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/95 "2003-03-25T23:57:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MrVisible \* > \*\*Both. Either. Aren’t they pretty much the same thing? If not, why not? > > I’ve noticed that your responses in this thread have tended to be brief, even terse. Would you mind writing a longer piece? Maybe just pick a question from the thread and expound on the subject for a few paragraphs? \*\* When I’m writing answers to this thread, I try and think about what I’m going to say. What I feel, this isn’t very good if I’m going to try writing for a career, is hardest to convey. I try and think of ways of saying things in a slightly more intelligent manner, but when I’m typing it feels like I am just saying “I like that, because it is great and also very good.” statements. I have all these things I want to convey, but I can’t when I try and type it out. I would probably have posted more topics if I didn’t have that problem. I can’t think of any answers to questions I should flesh out, maybe you could suggest some? I am sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/96 "2003-03-26T00:00:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\ ***Aslan2** , a question from a bear to a lion, if you please: > > Masturbation as popular now as it was when I was a teenager lo these two and a half years ago? > > Enquiring minds ‘n’ all that. I’ve no need for it now (see sig), but I was curious as to how the less fortunate among my former comrades were getting along. \*\* I would say it’s probably as popular as ever. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/97 "2003-03-26T00:15:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kgriffey79 \* > \*\*A-Fuckin-men > Anyway, from one male teenager to another(although, somehow I’ve become an adult since February, but whatever), what WWF(Get the E out) superstars are you a fan of? I’m a big fan of HHH(well, the old DX HHH), Kurt Angle, John Cena, and Al Snow, among many others. > > Just wondering, do you go to a public middle school/high school? How big is your school? What drugs are going around the school? What kind of music do you listen to? your peers? \*\* It has been quite a while since I have watched wrestling, probably stemming from the fact that everybody I knew(almost all of them people from message boards) were bitching about how wrestling was at it’s worst ever. I do however remember being a fan of Angle when I did watch it. I go to a fairly large high school(around 1400 students). The drugs(that I know of)are marijuana. I’ve been offered a couple of times, and their are a group of people I know who are “stoners”. I listen to Hard Rock/Metal, stuff like Disturbed and Korn, although I do like softer stuff such as The Beatles, Goo Goo Dolls, Sublime, etc. Most of my friends listen to metal/nu metal(angst metal 😉 ) basically the same stuff as Disturbed, but other stuff like Nickelback or Staind. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/98 "2003-03-26T00:25:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Maastricht \* > \*\*Aslan, here is a question I would really like to know. > I am “Auntie” to my 14-year old nephew (the nephew of my boyfriend, actually). > > I get the impression that he hates attention. When I ask “hows school, how are your hobbies” he seems to want to say as little as possible. He even gives me the impression that the questions themselves are somehow not “cool” Yet he does seem to like to be around me/us. > > So what is it with male teenagers and attention? How should I let him know I am interested in hearing from him without making him uncomfortable? > > And at what age should I stop kissing him on his cheek? (I have stopped since his 6th birthday an wondered if that was too soon. But I alsways see commercials that depict a sloppy kiss from a big old auntie as the most awful thing that can happen to a teenager. Is this tue? What’s so awful about it? \*\* I don’t really like being asked a lot of questions; about what I did today, how I am feeling, etc. I don’t know if this would solve the problem, but perhaps let him decide when to talk. Sometimes I don’t really feel like talking about anything; where as some days I would say something about how my day was without being asked. I don’t really understand it. I think that at age 6 most kids don’t get embarrased about getting affection from their parents/relatives, but soon after kids feel too old to do something like that in public, so that age is probably best. I hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/99 "2003-03-26T05:19:00Z")
This relates to **Maastricht** ’s question. I’ve heard it said that boys actually talk best when they’re doing something else; riding in the car, playing games, working on something. Anything that keeps their hands busy. Otherwise, they’re probably too self-conscious to talk much. Do you find that’s true? > [@](#): > > When I’m writing answers to this thread, I try and think about what I’m going to say. What I feel, this isn’t very good if I’m going to try writing for a career, is hardest to convey. I try and think of ways of saying things in a slightly more intelligent manner, but when I’m typing it feels like I am just saying “I like that, because it is great and also very good.” statements. I have all these things I want to convey, but I can’t when I try and type it out. I would probably have posted more topics if I didn’t have that problem. > I can’t think of any answers to questions I should flesh out, maybe you could suggest some? > I am sorry. Don’t be sorry. I’ve already mentioned that I enjoy your writing; otherwise, I’d never have pestered you so long in this thread. Sometimes a flowery way of saying things just gets in the way; some of the best prose ever written is simple, plain, direct, and powerful. So, here’s my essay question. Describe your room, in detail, please. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777/100 "2003-03-26T05:24:03Z")
This relates to **Maastricht** ’s question. I’ve heard it said that boys actually talk best when they’re doing something else; riding in the car, playing games, working on something. Anything that keeps their hands busy. Otherwise, they’re probably too self-conscious to talk much. Do you find that’s true? > [@](#): > > When I’m writing answers to this thread, I try and think about what I’m going to say. What I feel, this isn’t very good if I’m going to try writing for a career, is hardest to convey. I try and think of ways of saying things in a slightly more intelligent manner, but when I’m typing it feels like I am just saying “I like that, because it is great and also very good.” statements. I have all these things I want to convey, but I can’t when I try and type it out. I would probably have posted more topics if I didn’t have that problem. > I can’t think of any answers to questions I should flesh out, maybe you could suggest some? > I am sorry. Don’t be sorry. I’ve already mentioned that I enjoy your writing; otherwise, I’d never have pestered you so long in this thread. Sometimes a flowery way of saying things just gets in the way; some of the best prose ever written is simple, plain, direct, and powerful. So, here’s my essay question. Describe your room, in detail, please. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-male-teenager/161777.md?page=6)