Being an adolescent is synonymous with being a rebellion. It causes tension between teenagers and parents at home; and teenagers and teachers at school.
What is rebellion?
In simple terms, being a rebel means demonstrating behavior that purposely opposes rules and authority.
Your parents have asked you to be back by 8 pm in the evening, but no, you will deliberately reach home at 12 pm.
Your teacher has asked you to finish a Physics assignment, but no, you will not become the good boy of the class and submit it later.
In both scenarios, coming back at 8 pm and finishing the assignment would have eventually helped you in the long run.
According to an article in Psychology Today, psychologist Carl Pickhardt says that “Although the young person thinks rebellion is an act of independence, it actually never is. It is really an act of dependency. Rebellion causes the young person to depend on self-definition and personal conduct on doing the opposite of what other people want.”
Rebellion can take two forms:
- The rebellion of non-conformity: When you choose to cut your hair differently from the rest of your friends.
- The rebellion of non-compliance: When you choose to become an artist instead of an engineer.
5 stages of being a rebel
1. Does not want to be treated as a child anymore (9-12): The young person has realized what he/she does not want to be. Making fun of teachers? In your group of friends, it will pass off as cool. But when you need your teacher’s help with college applications, calling teachers old-fashioned was a mistake!
2. Break rules imposed by society (13-15): Is it a war zone at home? I’ll not do the homework. I’ll not come on time. I’ll not attend tuitions. I’ll not do anything parents ask me to do. This is the period when opposing authority is the norm among friends. But remember, not all friends stick around. But parents will, all the time.
3. Liberation from childhood dependency (16-18): The will to be free, the excitement for carving out a life you want to lead and the thrill of achieving your dreams. At this stage of your life, the world is at your feet. Pay heed to your parents, they have your best interests at heart.
4. Dethroning parental authority (19-23): This is the stage when you have completed your college and have a job. All the things you fought for have been realized. The last stage is to conquer what you set out to do.
5. Acceptance: The last stage is a place where the young person realizes that he/she has to function within societal norms. Acceptance is the beginning of adulthood.