We've stolen the soul of these children

From the site:

"Reko (11) and Jere (12)
Reko: "I bought this scarf last year. I like it because it's stylish. My jeans are Acne but Levi's and Lee are ok, too. I don't like bright colours. Next I would like to buy a white or grey WESC hoodie."
Jere: "I'm wearing jeans by Lee. The shoes gotta be Vans or Lacoste – other brands are ugly. I would never wear rubber boots. We listen to r'n'b and rap. Uniq and Elastinen are the best.""

I see two sides to this. I am always amazed and impressed when people seem to mature much earlier and faster than I did. The sad part is when it's driven by consumerism's endless pursuit at sinking its teeth into people sooner and sooner in life.

When you were a kid, "high technology" was probably a rotary phone and a lawn mower with an engine! There were no cell phones, Internet, virtual worlds, sophisticated video consoles, or 800+ channels on the television set. Different times, different world. Is "progress" a bad thing...or a good thing? Depends on who you ask.

I beg to differ. Technology has everything to do with what teens and tweens feel they need to think, be, do, buy, have in order to be accepted (cool). Where do you think the messages are coming from? Outer space?

And I believe if I had the time to spend digging around in archives, I could probably find a picture of James Dean dressed very much like those kids. Past generations weren't all that different when it comes to being impressionable....they just had different influences based on the time in history. You think little girls in the Renaissance didn't whine and fret until they had the latest fashion item to make them more popular at social gatherings of their peers? My point was that there are far more avenues of communication now than in the past so the influences are more invasive. The medium is still the message no matter what century you're talking about....some are just more prolific.

I am the father of an 11 and 8 yr old, son and daughter, so I'm speaking both as a former child and a father.

Technology isn't the cause, internet, television and movies aren't the cause. Poor parenting and and parental judgement / discretion is - primarily.

Children appear to grow up fast as a result of self-preservation. Children growing up in environments where to increasingly greater degrees their physical, psychological and emotional needs are not met, grow up proportionately faster. Correspondingly, children who grow up in increasingly healthier home environments, may not appear to have the savy of less fortunate children, but mature (vs grow up) into healthier, happier personalities.

No mohawk for my son, no thongs for my daughter.

Although, my children have had to weather divorce, they are very happy and well adjusted kids - more so than most kids in the public schools they attend.

What I am particularly happy about is that their teachers are amazed at how little resistance they have to learning. This is a very, very good sign.

it is not so much a question of "is technology good our bad?" It is about how we use it. I think we have gone down a very bad path with technology over the past 10 years or so. Technology has way more value outside of manipulation of consumerism.

What happened to the ill-fitting T's, elastic-waist jeans, and Umbro shorts of yore?

The change in the way kids dress and act today has everything to do with parents who let them. True, a lot has changed since we were kids. I don't actually remember those children who cared too much about current trends and expensive brands. Though I DO remember those children my age who had the wonderful privilege to wear designer brands which were popular at the time. Things that Michael Jackson sported in his music videos, expensive leather jackets and then later, doc marten boots which I never was aloud to purchase due to their price tag so instead I became a "fashion faux pas" in my early adolescents because I purchased the cheap knock offs.
Being a person involved in the fashion industry, I can tell you that yes, the industry gears their expensive and sometimes unnecessary merchandise to children from the moment of infancy. The main reason for that is because there are parents who have the money and the lack of will power to buy their kids whatever they want. I do not believe we are headed toward a bad time...at least as far as technology goes...instead I think this is a time I could embrace by becoming a successful childrenswear designer. I'm sure you've noticed a not too recent trend of top designers making a transition from their typical womenswear and menswear and adding a line of childrenswear so mommy can dress in Dior and their 5 year old boy can dress in Baby Dior! It's not something I would personally spend my money on. If anything, I'll only spend money on the cheap knock-offs for my kids. However, if other parents are willing to spend the money or allow their kids to dress with the trends then by all means, let them! It's good for the economy!

your just jealous cuz you didnt look as hot as these kids when you were 11

im sure these kids have there own fun

who says scarves arent fun

There's plenty of fun to be had with scarves!

Dammit...you've discovered my dark secret! Am I THAT transparent?

there little hipsters in the making. if any have seen the armor of sleep video williamsburg then u know what i mean.