# Jr. High kids (and teens in general) are the most worthless human beings on the Earth **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 26, 2002, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948 "2002-12-26T06:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Br\_er\_Lapin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Br\_er\_Lapin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Br_er_Lapin)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/81 "2002-12-28T11:29:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mouthbreather \* > \*\*So a poster makes a claim about a group of people based on a bad experience with one of them. This one poster makes you so upset that you are now disapointed with the whole board. \*\* Perhaps I’m just hallucinating, but I seem to remember people agreeing with the OP. Also, I don’t recall saying, “I am completely disappointed with every single _person_ on this board.” Just that my Disappointment Level of This Board has gone up several notches. Is that acceptable to you? ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/82 "2002-12-28T11:32:06Z")
This board is about fighting ignorance, and to say that all teenagers are obnoxious is ignorant. It is irrelevant whether this is said in the pit or GD. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/83 "2002-12-28T11:47:12Z")
The most obnoxious thing about teenagers is how they claim that they are _not_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/84 "2002-12-28T12:32:03Z")
How do I reply to that?! Grrr! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/85 "2002-12-28T12:38:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blue Curls \* > \*\*It is irrelevant whether this is said in the pit or GD. \*\* No, it is very relevant! The Pit is filled with exaggeration for effect - it’s part of the entertainment value of a rant. Most of it is taken in that context, that they didn’t actually mean it literally, because they’re saying it in frustration. Imagine them with arms flailing and steam coming out of their ears when they say it, and you’ll realise that they are not speaking ratinally with hours of careful forethought - they are ranting with crazy talk while telling us a story. For fuck’s sake, I don’t understand what’s got into people here! I’ve been visiting this board for nearly five years, and nearly everyone here (very few of them from that era) seems to be turning into pod-people! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/86 "2002-12-28T18:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\*You, apparently, are a teenager, and you are obnoxious. \*\* How so? By daring to disagree with his elder? Damn whippersnappers… (And neither you nor I know how old s/he is.) ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2002, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/87 "2002-12-28T20:05:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bre’r Lappin \* > \*\*Suppose I were to go start a thread called: > > Black people are the most worthless human beings on the Earth > or > Women are the most worthless human beings on the Earth > or > Homosexuals are the most worthless human beings on the Earth > or > Men in their 20’s are the most worthless human beings on the Earth > > You would see absolutely nothing wrong with this? \*\* my orange is oranger than your apple… ---
**Author:** ![Mushono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cdc98d/32.png) [@Mushono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mushono)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/88 "2002-12-29T08:32:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tony Montana \* > \*\*my orange is oranger than your apple… \*\* It’s true these are diferent categories, how about, Seniors citizens are the most worthless human beings on the earth Middle aged people are the most worthless human beings on the earth Nothing wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/89 "2002-12-29T08:43:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mushono \* > \*\*It’s true these are diferent categories, how about, > > Seniors citizens are the most worthless human beings on the earth > > Middle aged people are the most worthless human beings on the earth > > Nothing wrong? \*\* eh, I spose If someone came up to me and said “32 yr olds are the most useless people on earth” I’d say “emkay but I’ll be 33 soon so I guess I’ll get over it soon enough…toodles” ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/90 "2002-12-29T09:15:56Z")
Oh for gawd’s sake you lot…grow up!! You’re behaving like a bunch of bloody teenagers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/91 "2002-12-29T12:40:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GuanoLad \* > \*\*No, it is very relevant! The Pit is filled with exaggeration for effect - it’s part of the entertainment value of a rant. Most of it is taken in that context, that they didn’t actually mean it literally, because they’re saying it in frustration. > > Imagine them with arms flailing and steam coming out of their ears when they say it, and you’ll realise that they are not speaking rationally with hours of careful forethought - they are ranting with crazy talk while telling us a story.\*\* I understand where you’re coming from. But… I saw the title of the thread and I thought “Ow!”. I then read the OP and realised he was just peeved about the stupid girl at the movies. But then people started saying that all teenagers are scum. To me they didn’t sound as if they were exaggerating. That is what I found to be ignorant. They sounded as though they honestly thought all teenagers were dipshits, and I know that that is not true. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/92 "2002-12-30T11:35:01Z")
There are some generalisations that can be truthfully made you know, about all groups. That’s how we recognise them as a group in the first place. So: [ul][li]black people have the skin pigmentation generally referred to as “black”;[/li][li]Jewish people believe in the veracity of the Old Testament but do not accept Jesus and the messiah;[/li][li]Women are female;[/li]And [li]Young people are… well… young. What is more, younger teenagers are going through puberty.[/ul]Now what can we infer from these generalisations? In the case of the first three, not much. However there are things we can pick up from the fourth.[/li] We aren’t born understanding social niceties you know. We have to learn them. And much is learned only by experience. To be _empathetic_ as opposed to _sympathetic_ you need to have experienced similar things to another. So I simply don’t expect a younger person to always understand appropriate behaviour. They’ve never had to fend for themselves. They’ve not had to run a household, pay the bills, put food on the table, _take care of themselves_. These experiences all lend perspective to life. They’ve never had to look in the mirror one day and recognize that they aren’t getting any younger, that the nostril hairs are simply not going to be overcome or the paunch isn’t going anywhere. They’ve never had tried to play a game they always enjoyed and discovered that they can’t run like they once could. They’ve never had the stuffing knocked out of them by realising that one dream or another _simply isn’t going to happen_. There’s a good chance they haven’t lost anyone close to them or been rejected by one they love. These experiences all help us react with a little more care towards others. Young people have got it all ahead of them. They’re the coolest and it’s hard to respect the dweebs when you’re the coolest. They’ve never had to really _deal_ with some of life’s seriously shitty moments. This isn’t some nebulous “ageism”, folks. This is a consequence of lack of experience of life. Then you throw in puberty, with its attendent hormonal changes, insecurities and confusion and you have a recipe for some seriously obnoxious behaviour. “Teenager”, though, is a very bad substitution word for what we’re talking about. By the time we’re 17 or so many of these experiences are starting to force their way into many of our lives. A lot of the physical changes have already happened (though not the “downhill” ones). 16-20 year olds tend to be a different species to 12-15 year olds. In particular a lot of us fail at something for the first time between 16 and 20 and learn for the first time that we’re not so invincible after all. I’d prefer not to talk about “teenagers” in general. But be warned - even 16-20 year olds tend to have a lot learning still to do as regards _tolerance_. So, in summary, equating “ageism” with racism, sexism or anti-semitism is ridiculous. And as adults, most of us are not _condemning_ youngsters for being youngsters, we’re just recognising that they haven’t yet lived through life’s experiences that shape all of us. But we know that they will. And in the meantime we’ll use _our_ more careworn tolerance to let kids be kids. I’m sorry if you’re 14 and reading this, getting into a righteous ire because of the apparently and ironically _intolerant_ adult who thinks he knows you better than you know yourself. Hell, when -I- was 14, I would certainly had this view. But I’ll remind you that tolerance is where you recognise something for what it is and are happy to accept it that way. And I wouldn’t try to change the ways of the 12-15 year-olds for all the tea in Surrey. After all, being that age is one of life’s experiences too. But please - do me a favour. Try to refrain from telling me that you have the solution to life’s mysteries. One thing I’ve learned is that I seem to know somewhat less every year. pan ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/93 "2002-12-31T07:38:02Z")
All of y’all teenagers who disagree with **RexDart** …You are wrong, and i do know better than you!!! Nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh!!!😛 😛 😛 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/94 "2002-12-31T08:36:49Z")
Lord a’mighty. I see the “no generalizations” crowd is out in full humorless force. One of the very first responses to this thread included this sentence: > [@](#): > > I realize that hyperbole was used in the OP. Does this **really** need to be rehashed again? The OP was using exaggeration to push his point across. **It doesn’t necessarily mean he believes that all teens are literally worthless**. Honestly. Go wash some of the starch out of your shorts, Loosen your wimple. Give the ol’ corset key a half-crank to the left. It’ll be good for you. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/95 "2003-01-01T05:57:53Z")
I’m 16 but I will agree with most of you on most of the negative things said… Many teenagers need to die since they contribute nothing but stupidity to society. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/96 "2003-01-01T06:22:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kambuckta \* > \*\*…This current generation of teenagers are more disrespectful, more slothful and more self-obsessed than ANY in human history. I’m sure there are some exceptions, but I haven’t encountered any in the last four years or so. :rolleyes: \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by neutron star \* > \*\*People have been saying shit like that for _how_ many thousands of years now? If it was true, and every generation was worse than the one before, we’d have a bunch of Junior Hitlers running around murdering anything that moves. \*\* I am not one normally to defend Hitler, but he sure wasn’t slothful! The man had energy and commitment, albeit of a total fruitcake nature. If those kids could commit murder with a wireless remote or a cell phone, they would devastate the planet. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/97 "2003-01-01T19:19:34Z")
Gah. The most childish moments I encounter are generally the pick-up lines and rude comments about my figure, my hairstyle, my clothing-wear… And guess what? Most of the people who do it are men from mid-twenties to mid-sixties (especially with the disgusting pickup lines. Not even a HELLO. Not even a look at my face, for Chrissake). So would it be correct for me to tell about an experience with a couple of 60 year old guys, and then post “Guys in their 60s (and adult males in general) are perverted and dangerous and should be executed”? As for YOU… > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by BrandonR_Many teenagers need to die since they contribute nothing but stupidity to society. Oh really? I’m glad that you’re not judge and jury for a good chunk of the human race then. The great thing about obnoxious children and teenagers is that they are prone to change into wonderful, mature adults. Some don’t, like the adults I mentioned earlier. But I’d get my shit jumped here if I intimated that certain groups of adults should be wiped out. See _Uekte’s_ posts for reference. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/98 "2003-01-02T04:01:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by me \* > **I realize that hyperbole was used in the OP.** That would be me. Well, you know, I think I understand. I work at a deli. This homeless guy comes in often, and always asks for free or extra stuff… cup of water, extra ketchup, stuff like that. Plus he’s always begging for change out front, bugging customers. And sometimes he makes nasty comments to the women who walk by, assumedly the ones he finds more attractive. So, I’m gonna come on SDMB when I get home, And declare that all those homeless people be, what, killed, forced into unpaid labor so they can contribute something back to the economy that they’ve been leeching off of… something like that. All those god damned smelly-ass, lecherous, greedy, lazy fucking homeless people. [Post reply.] “Wha? No, no, no! Ah ha ha ha… I was _exaggerating_, you silly gooses! I didn’t really mean all that bad stuff about the lazyass homeless assholes!” … Fuck that. This is the fucking pit. You fucking insult me, or people I know, or a group that I was recently a part of, I’m gonna fucking call you on it. Not hard to fucking understand. If you want to spew a bunch of shit about people- who make up a part of this board, no less- and not get called on it, tough shit. Find another board. Ignorant generalizations don’t fly here, and every single one of us knows it. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/99 "2003-01-02T04:03:13Z")
Oh, and the homeless guy and all thoughts directed at him are fictional. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948/100 "2003-01-02T05:57:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nocturne \* > \*\*Oh really? I’m glad that you’re not judge and jury for a good chunk of the human race then. > \*\* Why not? Most of the human race needs to be killed, they are useless monsters. A good plague ought to save the planet, and wipe out the current plague (humans) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jr-high-kids-and-teens-in-general-are-the-most-worthless-human-beings-on-the-earth/144948.md?page=6)