What appears to be vanity is often an attempt to understand one's rapid development. In adolescence, for the first time, young people are intellectually able to contrast themselves with others, which can result in a deep sense of insecurity and loneliness. Brains shut down during adolescence. They are incapable of learning anything serious. Young adolescents, age 10 to 15, enjoy a curiosity about the world unmatched in the life cycle.
Older youths develop the capacity for moral thought.
Adolescents take risks because they think they are invulnerable. Adolescents are negatively influenced by their peers. They also can contribute to a young person's self-esteem and desire for achievement. Their stories are both timely and timeless. We cannot continue to disinvest in young people, turn our backs, and then dismiss them as dangerous or worse.