What is angst? The Oxford Dictionary defines it as a feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general. I can clearly remember my phase of teen angst. I was fourteen years old and in 8th grade. I remember feeling angry, although I couldn’t tell you why. I felt incredibly misunderstood even though I wasn’t even sure by whom. I felt anxious but uncertain against what. Yet if you asked me if I was happy, I probably would have said yes. It seemed that the infamous feeling of teenage angst was part of the deal. Not going through the phase would mean that I wasn’t truly a teenager. I thought I was supposed to hate the world. I would certainly be branded a phony teenager if I thought that my parents weren’t so terrible or had slight hope for my future.
Examining popular culture, it is clear we have a teen angst obsession. Through art, photography film and music, society provides an endless bank of material. Cinema in particular has done an excellent job of capturing the dread-filled emotion. From the wildly popular Twilight series to the 1955 James Dean classic Rebel Without a Cause, Hollywood has certainly tapped into the misunderstood teen market. The 80’s film Sixteen Candles, written and directed by teen angst expert John Hughes, is the perfect example of brooding youth. Protagonist Samantha Baker huffs and puffs the entire film about her pathetic life and existence. From her forgotten 16th birthday to her lackluster love life, Samantha’s world just isn’t going as planned. By the end of the film, Samantha comes to the realization that everything isn’t as terrible as she imagined providing the audience with a lovely coming-of-age finale. Sixteen Candles beautifully demonstrates teen angst as a definite requirement in the transition process.
If as youth we didn’t hate the world around us, how would we grow to eventually love it? The coming-of-age process is supposed to be a tough and painful one that leads into maturity. Adulthood is all about outgrowing the trivial worry that angst carries like obsessing over hair length or making sure you’re up to date on celebrity gossip. Although I’m not sure I’ll ever outgrow my obsession with trashy tabloids. Teen angst is simply step one in coming-of age. In the formative teenage years, we must outgrow our childish perspective on life and realize that the world is not rainbows and unicorns. If most youth had no issue with their environment then there would be no real need for the coming-of-age evolution. After all, if teenagers are without angst, can we still truly call them teenagers?
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