Ambivalence and Obcession
If we reflect on our cultural ambivalence about age and responsibility, the vagaries of physical development, and the Western obsession with youth and sexuality, we might understand some of the confusion, anxiety and apparent madness of adolescence. My Concise Oxford Dctionary defines Mad as: out of ones mind, insane; wildly foolish; wildly excited, infatuated; extravagant; or simply wild. Since I am neither oblivious to nor forgetful of the indiscretions of my youth, its wildly extravagant nature, its foolishness and proclivity for momentary infatuations, I am not sure it is possible for an adolescent to be completely rational. Its not that they aren't spiritual or can't have a life of their own, but sane? It seems doubtful! Having reflected on my adolescence and that of my children and grandchildren, I came to the conclusion that the problem with teenagers today is the same as it was in my youth.

That is, they resent the establishment, their parents and teachers' refrusal to grant them admission into the world of adult privilege and autonomy! Biologically, they are adults, yet the period of childhood is indefinitely extended in our modern culture. Existing in the never/never land between juvenile innocence and adult responsibility would prove stressful for the most compliant and rational human. Add this to massive hormonal alterations and its no wonder that not a few of them seem quite mad. What else can explain their extravagant condemnations of the world of adulthood, their dress styles, their secret languages, their erratic mood shifts and choice of friends? What other factors could change a sweet, well behaved, studious child, into a sullen, contemptuous, inarticulate hulk or a babbling, giggling, fashion-mad female?

Sexual Awareness
These temporary lapses from sanity may be caused by the massive release of hormones, the often painful and frightening alterations in physical form and stature, or that most peculiar of all transformations, that of sexual awareness. Its not that young children are not conscious of sexual differences, human physiology or gender roles. However, once puberty arrives ones awareness of sex and romance undergoes a sea change. It is as if the boy or girl next door became a mysterious, entrancing object and the vulnerable teen must either disguise her fundamental unattractiveness or risk being rejected.

The Mask
One of the tasks of adolescence is to create a mask, which simultaneously attracts and deflects attention from the opposite sex. Because this mask is a cover for massive confusion, profound vulnerability and sexual arousal, the adolescent often requires assistance from a select group in order to maintain and cultivate her respective disguises. Another aspect of the maturation process is the teens appropriation of personal space. This entails a demand for privacy and unrealistic expectations of parental non-interference. Since the creation of psychological and physical space necessitates separation from ones parents, it is often characterized by sullen withdrawals, intermixed with demands for money and door slamming episodes. Vocal outbursts, such as "You don't understand!" "Leave me alone!" and "Its none of your business!" are typical during this period.

Independence and Identity
According to American psychologist, Eric Ericson, the primary psychosocial task of an adolescent is to develop an independent sense of identity that will allow her to relate to others in an adult fashion. However, it is a long journey from the dependent child to the relatively independent adult and many of us confuse the image with the reality. For example, I've known women over forty who turned into simpering, flirtatious pleasers the moment they met an attractive man. I've also met men over fifty who had yet to learn how to cook a meal or pick up their dirty clothes.

Cinderella and Peter Pan
Perhaps those afflicted with the Cinderella Complex and the Peter Pan Syndrome are adults who never grew out of adolescence. Most Westerners are familiar with the story of the mistreated girl who only had to dress up pretty, go to the ball, win the love of a prince and be taken care of for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, a considerable number of my female clients are still waiting for Prince Charming and seem to think that winning the favor of a man will secure their futures. Although, I lack the genetic credentials for properly assessing the Peter Pans of the world, I am overly familiar with male charmers who avoid emotional commitment, parental responsibility and confuse sexual activity with love. Sex, physical beauty, and youth have nearly achieved the status of a religion in North America. It is no wonder that the young icons of this quasi-religion wrap themselves in the cloak of independence and reject the conventional wisdom of chastity, prudence, or even birth control.

Most of us compensate for emotional vulnerability, sensitivity, and lack of experience by adopting a familiar role or wearing a protective mask. I believe this activity is particularly typical of adolescence. It makes sense for the not quite child/not quite adult to try out a number of roles and see which one works best for her. Such activities evolve from childrens games, such as Lets play doctor. I'll be the doctor and you'll be the patient or the numerous variations on lets pretend and make believe. However, adolescents are very image conscious and their masks, disguises and role-play can be deadly serious.

The excruciating trauma of not fitting in, of being out of step with ones peers, or failing to attract a significant other, cuts deep into an adolescent's self-esteem and self-confidence. Such factors can propel her into a life of under achievement, isolation, shame and neurosis. However, with a bit of encouragement the sensitive teen can adopt an appropriate mask and successfully play the game of growing up!"

Role Play and Disguise
There are quite a few roles available to boys and girls in North American society. My admittedly biased impression of a males primary disguise is that it entails a judicious combination of automotive skills, sport interest (or talent) and the careful cultivation of a poker face or an "I don't care" attitude. If he is to maintain his face or play this role adequately, the male adolescent needs access to a car or a car of his own. He also needs to participate in some sporting activity in order to merit the mask of jock. Academic activity and computer skills could win him access to the once maligned tag of "Nerd"

New Age Nerdism
During my youth, nerds were appropriate targets for adolescent oppression. Such a creature seemingly substituted academic and intellectual interests for conventional adolescent concerns. They actually enjoyed learning things and instead of seeing the teacher as an oppressor, often cultivated them as friends and mentors. Such betrayals of the adolescent tribe was not forgiven easily and the only access the nerd might have to conventional juvenile association was through her willingness to write essays for less erudite classmates.

However, new age nerdism is coming into vogue as an excellent way of baffling computer shy adults. It has the advantage of its own language and the opportunity of creating havoc in educational, corporate and even military systems, once one has attained the elite status of "Hacker". There seems no end to the games, ideas and social interactions opened by the invention of the internet. Unfortunately for parental authority, a semi-literate twelve year old can out match a forty year old Ph.D., when it comes to managing cyberspace.

Since I have yet to decipher hyper-text mark up language or determine the difference between a "pixel" and a "giga-bite" I can't begin to guess how many things are available to the computer Nerd" or that most mysterious of entities, the Hacker." I am one of those old fashioned people who assume that communications has less to do with the equipment one uses than with the art of speaking your mind and expressing your feelings in a creative and lucid fashion. However, I have noticed that a number of young males have yet to demonstrate their mastery of correct grammar, intellectual lucidity, or creative verbalizations either off or on line. They may be fully conversant with every detail of programming, hardware or whats new on the Net, but I am profoundly confused as to what they plan to do with their expertise.

Behind the adult condemnation of youthful folly and right wing fixations on controlling incorrigible teens, lurks the specter of jealousy. We seem fascinated and frightened by the peculiar fashions and customs of our adolescent tribes. However, many of us would do anything to recapture our vanished youth or at least its appearance.