You knew you'd hit on something serious they think about. People are starting to talk about it with kids. But there's still a stigma. They seem to be talking about everything in school but that. Pop culture's approach Schools may be silent, but Sony Walkmans aren't.
Teens find themes of self-destruction, depression and anger mirrored in their music.
Nine Inch Nails, Suicidal Tendencies, Rage Against the Machine and other popular bands add fuel to the alienation and anger many feel. And the Internet is rife with existential poems from teenagers bemoaning the emptiness of their lives and the angst they feel. There is an intense battle between the culture of life and the culture of death. This theme of violence contributes to the despair that pushes some teens over the edge, McCarty said. They are making suicide seem chic.