Teenagers, let’s get one thing straight: The world romanticizes youth, but deep down, adults fear you. They fear your energy, your unpredictability, your potential to upend the system they’ve spent decades conforming to. And because they fear you, they try to control you.
But here’s the secret: their fear is your power.
The Fear of the Uncontrollable
Teenagers are chaos incarnate. You question everything, challenge authority, and refuse to accept things “just because.” You make adults uncomfortable because you expose their complacency. They see you as a threat because you haven’t yet been beaten down by routine, debt, and regret.
Your emotions are intense, your convictions are raw, and your ability to shake the foundation of what’s “normal” is terrifying to those who rely on the status quo. This is why they call you reckless. This is why they dismiss your voice. Because if they admit you might be onto something, they have to face the possibility that they wasted years of their lives playing by the rules.
The Systems Built to Control You
Think about school. It’s not designed to educate you—it’s designed to train obedience. Sit down. Be quiet. Memorize this. Don’t question authority. The entire system is a psychological conditioning program, molding you into a docile worker who won’t challenge power.
Social norms reinforce this. If you’re too outspoken, you’re labeled difficult. If you reject traditional paths, you’re called lost. If you embrace your own style, interests, and beliefs, you’re dismissed as rebellious. The world wants you tamed before you realize just how powerful you are.
And then there’s politics.
The Political Machine Fears You Too
Politicians love to tell you that you’re the future, but they secretly hope you stay distracted. Why? Because an engaged, critical-thinking youth population is the last thing they want. Young people questioning policies, corruption, and social injustices threaten the carefully built structures of power.
Look at voting laws. Why do so many countries resist lowering the voting age? Because they know young people tend to lean towards progress and reform. Why are politicians obsessed with banning books, controlling education, and suppressing protests? Because they know that if you wake up and start organizing, you become an unstoppable force.
They will call you naive. They will tell you that you “don’t understand how the world works.” But this is just another form of control, another way to make you doubt your own power.
How Adults Gaslight You Into Submission
Ever notice how adults constantly contradict themselves when talking to teenagers?
- “Be yourself!” But not like that.
- “Stand up for what you believe in!” Unless it makes us uncomfortable.
- “Follow your dreams!” As long as they align with our expectations.
They tell you to be independent while punishing you for thinking independently. They criticize your generation for being too “soft,” yet freak out the moment you challenge their outdated beliefs. This is not accidental. It’s a calculated effort to make you doubt yourself, to keep you uncertain and compliant.
Why You Must Own Your Power
Adults fear your freedom. You are not yet shackled by mortgages, meaningless careers, or a lifetime of regret disguised as responsibility. You have time, energy, and a mind that isn’t yet fully programmed by societal bullshit.
Here’s how you harness that power:
- Question Everything: Every rule, every expectation, every “truth” adults try to impose on you—challenge it. Ask who benefits from your obedience.
- Develop Skills That Make You Dangerous: Learn how to think critically, communicate persuasively, and act decisively. A skilled teenager is a nightmare to those who want to keep you weak.
- Reject the Fear of Failure: Adults live in fear of looking foolish. They stay in dead-end jobs and toxic relationships because they’re scared to start over. You, however, can afford to fail, learn, and come back stronger. Use that advantage.
- Embrace Being Unpredictable: Predictability is control. The more people can anticipate your actions, the easier you are to manipulate. Stay fluid. Be unexpected.
- Build Something of Your Own: Don’t wait for permission. Start projects, build skills, create movements. The world doesn’t change because people follow rules—it changes because someone decides to break them.
- Get Politically Engaged: Pay attention. Educate yourself. Vote when you can. Protest when necessary. Speak up even when they try to silence you. You are not just the future—you are the present, and your voice is dangerous to those who benefit from keeping you quiet.
The Fallout of Owning Your Power
Let’s be clear: owning your power will make people uncomfortable. You will lose friends. Teachers might label you difficult. Family might not understand you. Society will try to push you back into the box.
Let them. That’s proof you’re doing something right.
Adults don’t fear weak, obedient teenagers. They fear the ones who think for themselves, the ones who refuse to conform, the ones who might just disrupt the carefully constructed illusion of normalcy.
So, the next time an adult dismisses your voice, remember this: It’s not because you’re wrong.
It’s because they’re scared you might be right.
Use that power wisely.